Domestic Amrinone(AMR, 5-20mg/kg) duodenally administrated in the anesthetized dogs increased significantly left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), maximal rate of change of intr aventricular pressure (dp/dtmax), Vce at dp/dtmax (Vce-+dp/dtmax), and cardiac index(CI) of hemodynamic parameters, while total peripheral resistance(TPR) and the time constant of isovolumic diastolic pressure decay (T Value) were decreased significantly, and no significant change in systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean artery blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate(HR) occurred. It suggests that orally given AMR should have both inotropic and vasodilatory. It is a new potent cardiotonic drugs of improving cardiac functions.

Osthole, the coumarin isolated from the fruits of Cnidum monnieri (L.) Cusson. The effects of osthole on the physiological properties in isolated auricle of guinea pig were studied. It possesses dose—dependent negative inotropic effects, the BaCl_2 inducing automaticity was inhibited, and the functional refractory period (FRP) was prolonged, and the frequence of sinoatrial node was slowed The negative inotropism and automatism suggest that sothole mey be antagonis tic to Ca~(2+), while the decrease of excitability and the prolongation of FRP indicate that it may be due to its inhibition on Na~+ current. The decrease of automaticity and excitability and prolongation of FRP are thought to be its antiarrhythmic action.

An tiinflammatory effects of alcohol extract of Caesalpinia sepiarla Roxb. var. pubescent Tang et wang were shown by ip iujection. The extract significantly decreased xylene induced swelling of mice ear; carrageenin produced edema of hind paw in rats, and decreased volume of pleural exudate on carrageenin-induced acute pleurisy of rats. It also inhibited egg white induced arthritis iu rats.LD50 value is 303.7mg/kg by ip in mice, confidence limit of 95% is 296.5 ? 189.4mg/kg.

It was reported that Os-thole(Ost) was isolated from the fruits of Cnidium monnieri(L. ) Cusson, possessesanti - arrhythmic action and depressed the aortic pressure action in animal studies. Its calcium -antagonistic effects were studied on the isolated rabbit aortic strips.Ost shifted the dose response curves for NE, CaCl2 and KC1 nonparallelly to the right, and depressed their maximal response; pD2' value is 3. 16, 4. 28 and 4. 39 respectively. It produced neither ?- a-drenoceptic stimulating nor ? - adreno-ceptic blocking effects. At the concentration of 100 ?mol ? L-1, Ost significantly inhibited the intra cellular Ca2+ dependent component of NE - induced contraction of the aortic strips, however, it didn't in-hibit the extra cellular Ca2+ dependent component of NE - induced contraction of the aortic strips, These results indicated that Ost produced relaxation on vascular smooth muscle might result from its antagonistic effect to Ca2+ and mainly blocked calcium influx through PDC, and the mode of its anta -gonism is similar to that of verapamil.