Interventional role of piperazine citrate in barium chloride induced ventricular arrhythmias in anaesthetized rats

Interventional potential of piperazine in Barium Chloride (BC) -induced ventricular arrhythmias was investigated in the rats. Various forms of arrhythmias were induced in 10 rats and piperazine (30mg/kg) was given in each case to reverse arrhythmia to sinus rhythm. Five out of six cases of induced ventricular tachycardia (83.3%) were reverted to sinus rhythm by piperazine. Again, 33% success was seen when ventricular fibrillation was induced. One of the three cases was reverted to the sinus rhythm as was also the only case of pulsus bigeminus observed. Piperazine, therefore, has the potential of a good anti-arrhythmic agent. Piperazine was shown to be a more effective antiarrhythmic agent than propranolol against BCinduced ventricular fibrillation. Propranolol not only failed to revert any of the ventricular fibrillations to sinus rhythm, but in two of four cases was not able to reverse the induced ventricular tachycardia. Although piperazine failed to control ventricular fibrillation with the same degree of effectiveness, piperazine has a remarkable therapeutic value in the management of ventricular tachycardia.