Therapeutic agents for improving cardiovascular function

#Certain polyether antibiotics, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts and derivatives have been discovered to possess cardiovascular-effecting properties in mammals. More particularly, we have discovered that these compounds cause a myocardial stimulation.

#The polyether antibiotics which cause myocardial stimulation include nigericin, monensin and X-206 as well as their pharmaceutically acceptable salts. All these antibiotics are known and publications directed to their preparation are as follows:

#Nigericin has been known for some time under the names helixin C, antibiotic X-464, antibiotic K-178, polyetherin A, and azalomycin M. Its structure was characterized by Steinrauf et al., Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 33, 29 (1968). Its structure formula is depicted below: ##STR1## Harned et al., Antibiotic and Chemotherapy I, 594-596 (1951) originally mentioned nigericin. It was also described by Gorman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,510.

#The following parenteral compositions were prepared.

#______________________________________ per ml Ingredient I II ______________________________________ Antibiotic X-206 10 mg. -- Antibiotic X-206, sodium salt -- 5.25 mg. Propylene glycol 0.1 ml. 0.1 ml. Benzyl alcohol 0.015 ml. 0.015 ml. N-methylglucamine 6.9 mg. 6.9 mg. Water q.s. to 1 ml. q.s. to 1 ml. ______________________________________

#The parenteral solutions exhibited cardiovascular activity when injected into dogs.