Dyphilline and the respiratory muscle function: a new concept

ABSTRACT

This work was done in an attempt to study whether aminophylline can produce adequate ventilation following a muscle relaxant in non asthmatic patients. The experimental part of this study was carried out on the isolated rectus abdominis muscle of the frog and it showed that dyphilline potentiates the stimulant effect of acetycholine on the skeletal muscle, prostigmine stimulating effect was potentiated by dyphilline, the skeletal muscle relaxant effect of flaxedil was partially antagonized by dyphilline and that there is an interaction between verapamil and dyphilline, as verapamil caused inhibition of the potentiating action of dyphilline on the skeletal muscles. The clinical part was carried out on 30 patients with no history of asthma who were given dyphilline in a dose of 5 mg/kg i.v. 20 minutes before reversal of the effects of a non depolarizing muscle relaxant, gallamine triethiodide [flaxedil] and anesthesia. The results showed a significant improvement in minute volume, tidal volume, blood gases and acid base status of these patients, compared to the control group who had prostigmine and atropine only without dyphilline