Antiarrhythmic Activity of Taurepar during Ischemic and Reperfusion Damage to Myocardium

The antiarrhythmic effect of taurepar, an N-phenylalkyl derivative of taurine, was examined in experiments on rats subjected to acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion leading to arrhythmia development. During acute ischemia, taurepar (25 mg/kg) completely prevented early postocclusion arrhythmias including extrasystoles, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. During postischemic reperfusion, taurepar (25 mg/kg) did not prevent extrasystoles and ventricular tachycardia, but precluded the development of ventricular fibrillation and the death of animals. The antiarrhythmic potency of taurepar surpassed that of lidocaine during acute myocardial ischemia and that of propranolol during ischemia/reperfusion injury. The results suggest that taurepar is a promising antiarrhythmic drug with high antifibrillation activity.