The influence of spinal cord transection on the capacity of digitoxin to induce cardiotoxicity

The capacity of digitoxin H ₃ to induce cardiotoxicity was studied in intact cats and cats whose spinal cords had been transected at the atlantooccipital junction. The dose and serum level of digitoxin needed to induce ventricular arrhythmias and death were higher in animals whose spinal cords had been transected. At the time of death, the atrial and ventricular myocardial digitoxin content was also higher in 'spinal' animals. The data suggest that neural ablation renders the cat less sensitive to the cardiotoxic effects of digitoxin.