[Effects of higenamine on the cardio-circulatory system].

Higenamine (HG) is a potent cardioactive benzylisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Aconiti tuber which has long been used as a cardiotonic in traditional Chinese medicine. HG exerts various effects on the cardio-circulatory system inotropic and chronotropic in isolated rat atria. It also relaxes isolated rat aorta. It inhibits epinephrine, ADP or collagen-induced platelet aggregation in platelet rich plasma. HG inhibits LPS-induced nitrate accumulation and the expression of iNOS mRNA in RAW 264.7 cells. HG lowers blood pressure in rats and increases the recovery rates in acute thrombosis model of mice, and lower the weight of thrombus formed in the arterio-venous shunt model of rats. Higenamine also has ameliorative effects in the LPS-induced DIC model.