1. Two new milrinone analogs, 3-acetyl-6-phenyl-2(IH)-pyridone (SF 348
) and 3-acetyl-7-methyl-7,8-dihydro-2,5(1H, 6H) quinolinone (SF 349),
increase the contractile activity of spontaneously beating and electri
cally driven atria isolated from reserpine-treated guinea-pigs. 2. Pro
pranolol 0.1 mu M drastically inhibits the contractile effect of SF 34
8, whereas that of SF 349 is unaffected. Preincubation of the atria wi
th adenosine-deaminase suppresses the cardiac activity of SF 349, but
does not affect that of SF 348. 3. SF 349 competitively antagonizes th
e negative inotropic effect induced by N-6-(R-phenylisopropyl)-adenosi
ne (R-PIA) and displaces N-6-cyclohexyl[H-3]-adenosine (H-3-CHA) from
its binding sites to A(1) receptors in the guinea-pig heart. 4. The po
sitive inotropic effect of SF 348 is largely sustained by activation o
f beta-adrenoceptors, whereas SF 349 acts by displacing endogenous ade
nosine from its inhibitory (A(1)) receptors in the atria. (C) 1997 Els
evier Science Inc.