Evaluation of the effects of tetrandrine on experimental myocardial ischemic and infarct size by cardiothermography

This experimental observation from 46 anesthetized open chest dogs suggested that cardiothermography is a reliable method for determining moment to moment charges in the extent of myocardial ischemia. Taking the extent of cold area in cardiothermography instantly following the 1st ligation of the left anterior descending artery as 100%, it was 59.63 % in T3 group (tetrandrine 3 mg/kg), 81.74 % in T5 group (tetrandrine 5 mg/kg), 100.7 % in propranolol group (propranolol 0.5 mg/kg), and 128 % in control group 30 min after treatment. The cold area detected by cardiothermography coincided with the results of epicardial mapping and TTC staining. The ischemic and infarct size evaluated by these 3 methods showed that tetrandrine had definite protective effects on myocardial ischemia with reduction of infarct size.