Preparation and evaluation of technetium-99m labeled cardiac glycoside derivatives as potential myocardial imaging agent.

Three cardiac glycosides, two natural, cymarin and convallotoxin and one synthetic, strophanthidin-beta-D-glucoside were converted to their thiosemicarbazone and subsequently radiolabeled with 99mTc by chelation. The resulting radioactive chelate complexes were evaluated in animals to determine the suitability of this class of compounds for myocardial imaging. It was observed from the animal biodistribution data of the three radioactive compounds, there was a considerable variation in the heart to non-target organ uptake ratio. A possible explanation of this variation was offered in the light of their lipophilic character, protein binding ability and affinity towards non-target receptors. It is anticipated that this study may help to develop a 99mTc-cardiac glycoside complex with better distribution characteristics, and such a compound may offer a suitable alternative to 201Tl, which is at present used for myocardial imaging.