Effects of piridoxilate, a glyoxylic acid derivative, on the energy metabolism of the heart.

Piridoxilate is a conjugation product of pyridoxine and glyoxylic acid, which may be a physiological regulator of cell respiration. Effects of this substance on the oxidation-reduction state of the pyridine nucleotides in the heart were studied using the canine heart-lung preparation supported by a donor dog. The oxidation-reduction state of the heart was estimated using the following 2 parameters: 1) myocardial redox potential and 2) NADH fluorescence in the heart muscle. In doses above 0.4 mM, piridoxilate produced a marked shift to more positive values of the myocardial redox potential and a decrease in NADH fluorescence. In contrast, ventilation of the animal with N2 gas and infusion of NaCN into the preparation resulted in a shift to more negative values of myocardial redox potential and an increase in NADH fluoresecence of the heart muscle. After pretreatment of the preparation with piridoxilate, the depression of redox potential and the increase in NADH fluorescence produced by N2 gas inhalation or by NaCN infusion were clearly reduced. These findings suggest a protective action of piridoxilate against hypoxia which may be attributable to rearrangement of the myocardial metabolism.