Influence of the membrane stabilizer diphenylhydantoin on potassium and sodium movements in skeletal muscle.

The membrane stabilizer diphenylhydantoin (DPH) did not alter the net content of Na, K, Ca or Mg in frog sartorius muscle freshly incubated or actively transporting Na and K following Na-loading and K-depletion. Resting influx of K from normal Ringer was significantly reduced by DPH, and this inhibition occurred in the ouabain-insensitive K-uptake. Inhibition of K-influx by DPH was overcome when [K]0 was raised to 10 mM, and Rb-influx was not sensitive to the inhibitor in 2.5 mM Rb-Ringer. Efflux of tracer K was reduced by DPH in the presence and absence of ouabain. Exchange of muscle Na was not affected under conditions in which K-exchange was significantly reduced, but DPH appeared to cause increased net loss of Na from muscles washed in Na-free medium. The inhibition of DPH of resting K-exchange was not sensitive to wide variations in [Na]0 or in [Ca]0. The results suggest that the effect of DPH on frog skeletal muscle in normal ionic environment is to reduce the resting, passive component of K-exchange across the fibre membrane. This effect is discussed in relation to the membrane stabilizing actions of diphenylhydantoin.