Interaction between nifedipine and digoxin in rats

Abstract

Possible nifedipine-digoxin interaction was investigated in rats by comparing lethal doses of intravenously diogoxin in control and experimental rats. In the experimental rats, nifedipine was administered intraperitoneally, 30 minutes prior to infusing digoxin at a constant rate of 400 mcg per minute. Results indicate the nifedipine administered within the dosage range 0.5-2.0 mg per kg rat body weight, lowered the lethal dose of intravenously infused digoxin by 26-38% compared with control rats, thus indicating a synergistic effect between the two drugs. There was very little dose dependence of this effect. It is concluded that concomittant administration of nifedipine and digoxin in humans may lead to drug interactions