Inotropic and chronotropic effects of N6-substituted derivatives of cyclic AMP as assessed in guinea-pig isolated right atria and papillary muscle.

1. The inotropic and chronotropic actions of N6-substituted adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) derivatives (N6-R cyclic AMPs) were studied in guinea-pig isolated right atrial preparations and in the papillary muscle preparations from guinea-pig right ventricle. 2. All the N6-R cyclic AMPs except N6-C14H29 produced positive inotropic effects in papillary muscle. The C5H11, C6H13, C7H15, C8H17 and C9H19 compounds were the most potent as inotropic agents, the potency being lower with compounds having longer or shorter N6-side chains than these. 3. In right atria N6-C2H5-C7H15 cyclic AMPs produced negative chronotropic effects. However, after treatment of the preparations with 8-phenyltheophylline the negative chronotropic effects were either much attenuated or abolished, indicating the involvement of adenosine receptors. 4. All the N6-R cyclic AMPs except N6-C14H29 were more potent activators of bovine myocardial protein kinase than cyclic AMP. The partition coefficients between octanol and an aqueous phase of N6-R cyclic AMPs became greater as the numbers of carbon atoms increased, and there appeared to be a relationship between partition coefficient and inotropic potency. It was concluded that membrane penetrativeness rather than potency as activators of protein kinase determined the potencies of N6-R cyclic AMPs as positive inotropic agents. 5. Derivatives such as N6-C7H15 cyclic AMP, which have positive inotropic activity without any marked negative chronotropic effect, may be useful as cardiotonic agents in heart failure.