Conventional microelectrode techniques were used for intracellular recordings of the transmembrane electrical potentials, the effects of berberine were studied on canine cardiac Purkinje and ventricular muscle fibres and on rabbit atrial fibres. 2. Berberine (3-30 microM) increased in a concentration-dependent manner, the action potential duration (APD) in canine Purkinje and ventricular muscle without affecting other parameters of the action potential. 3. The berberine-induced enlargement of the APD showed reverse use-dependence, so that the effect was greater at lower rates of stimulation. 4. Preparations perfused with berberine (30 microM) and driven at rates below 0.5 Hz exhibited early after depolarizations which persisted 3-4 h after washing. 5. The early afterdepolarizations were reversibly abolished by perfusion with lignocaine (3 microM) or by the increase in the rate of stimulation. 6. The effective refractory period (ERP) of Purkinje fibres was greatly increased by berberine (30 microM); however, the ratio ERP/APD was not significantly affected. 7. Berberine (10-100 microM) decreased in a concentration-dependent manner the spontaneous frequency of rabbit sinoatrial cells. The decrease in frequency was accompanied by a depression of the phase 4 depolarization, without significant changes in other parameters of the nodal action potential. 8. Atropine (2.5 microM) did not affect the bradycardic effect of berberine. On the other hand, berberine (30 microM) did not alter the chronotropic effect of isoprenaline. 9. Berberine (30 microM) also increased the duration of slow responses in K-depolarized rabbit atrial muscle fibres, other parameters being unaffected. 10. It is suggested that berberine exerts Class III antiarrhythmic and proarrhythmic actions in cardiac muscle of the dog in vitro.
