Delsoline (DS)

Delsoline ( DS ) is not only effective in preventing ventricular fibrillation and arrythmia, but can raise the intebsity of the threthold of electrical shocks to cause ventricular fibrillation in rabbits. Furthermore , DS can obviously inhibit the action potential amplitude of isolated sciatic nerves in toads, indicating that it can block sodium channels. However, the antiarrythmic effect of DS may be mainly attributed to itsganglionic blocking and negative cardiac inotropic effect. The alkaloid delsoline (C25H41O7N) was oxidized by acid permanganate mostly to dehydrooxodelsoline, and by neutral permanganate to anhydrohydroxydelsoline. Oxidation of the alkaloid with mercuric acetate produced anhydrohydroxy-N-de-ethyldelsoline which could be re-ethylated with ethyl iodide, thus showing the presence of an N-ethyl group in delsoline.