Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 13 February 1981:
Vol. 211. no. 4483, pp. 727 - 729
DOI: 10.1126/science.7455710
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Science, Vol 211, Issue 4483, 727-729
Copyright © 1981 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Tyrosine administration decreases vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation in the normal canine heart

NA Scott, RA DeSilva, B Lown, and RJ Wurtman

Intravenous infusion of tyrosine (1, 2, or 4 milligrams per kilogram) for 20 to 30 minutes caused dose-dependent increases in the ventricular fibrillation threshold in normal dogs. Administration of valine, a neutral amino acid that competes with tyrosine for uptake at the blood-brain barrier, in a dose equimolar to the most effective dose of tyrosine, slightly decreased the ventricular fibrillation threshold when given alone and significantly blocked elevation of the ventricular fibrillation threshold after tyrosine infusion. Hence, tyrosine, presumably acting in the central nervous system, can protect against certain ventricular arrhythmias.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Neurocardiology: An Interdisciplinary Area for the 80s.
B. H. Natelson (1985)
Arch Neurol 42, 178-184
   Abstract »    PDF »
Tyrosine increases blood pressure in hypotensive rats.
L. Conlay, T. Maher, and R. Wurtman (1981)
Science 212, 559-560
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)