J Ethnopharmacol. 1985 May; 13(2): 193-9.

A drug used in traditional medicine: Harpagophytum procumbens DC. III. Effects on hyperkinetic ventricular arrhythmias by reperfusion.

Costa De Pasquale R, Busa G, Circosta C, Iauk L, Ragusa S, Ficarra P, Occhiuto F.

In Langendorff preparations of rat heart, hyperkinetic ventricular arrhythmias (HVA) have been induced by an ischaemic perfusion (coronary flux 0.5 ml/min; pressure 8 mmHg) and following reperfusion at basal conditions (coronary flux 8 ml/min; pressure 50 mmHg). Crude methanolic extracts of Harpagophytum procumbens secondary roots and harpagoside showed a significant, dose-dependent, protective action toward HVA induced by reperfusion.