A new series of steroidal antidysrhythmic agents.

With the aim of finding an antidysrhythmic agent suitable for intravenous or oral administration we have examined a range of steroids carrying basic substituents. The primary screen involved control of cardiac dysrhythmias induced by intravenous infusion of aconitine into pentobarbitone-anaesthetised artificially-respired rats. The best activity was found among a series of 11 alpha-alkylamino steroids and structure-activity studies included modification of the alkylamino group and variation of substituents in ring A and at the 17-position. Good oral and intravenous activity was found among 17 beta-methoxycarbonyl-5 alpha-androstanes and methyl 2 beta-ethoxy-3 alpha-hydroxy-11 alpha-(3-methylbutylamino)-5 alpha-androstane-17 beta-carboxylate hydrochloride (CCI 22277) was selected for more detailed pharmacological study.