Polymyxin B and heart muscle.

The effects of the polypeptide antibiotic, polymyxin B, on myocardial contractility were studied in t;e isolated rat heart muscle. Five different doses of polymyxin B were tested. There were no changes in contractility with does ranging from the clinical therapeutic value to three times greater. There was an initial increase and then depression with a dose six times greater than the therapeutic dose. There was no direct competitive interaction between polymyxin B and halothane or Ca2+. This suggests that polymyxin B does not depress the myocardium in clinical doses and does not interfere with Ca2+ influx at the myocardial cell membrane.