Myogenic Autoregulation of Coronary Vessels and Heterometric Autoregulation of the Myocardium

1) At the isolated perfused guinea-pig and rat heart heterometric autoregulation of the myocardium and myogenic autoregulation of the coronary vessels were induced by means of stepwise increases of perfusion pressure. 2) According to this loading test Frank-Starling function curves of the left ventricle and pressure-flow curves of the coronary vessels can be drawn. This graphic evaluation gives more information about the condition of the heart and the coronary vessels than simple evaluation under hemodynamic equilibrium. 3) There are significant differences in both curves between animal species and between different perfusate Mg concentration. 4) Myogenic autoregulation is not affected by the cyclooxygenase inhibitors indometacin and me- clofenamate. Thus it appears unlikely that prostanoides are involved in myogenic autoregulation. 5) Ca antagonists (Gallopamil, prenylamine) depress myogenic autoregulation dose-dependently. Enhanced myogenic autoregulation, induced by low extracellular magnesium, can be reduced effectively by Gallopamil. 6) Ginsenosides from Panax ginseng as well as the ginsenoside 'Rg' are effective inhibitors of myogenic autoregulation without major negative inotropic effects.