Metabolic changes of excitable tissues in sodium-free hydrazinium solution

¹ Research Laboratories, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois

Phosphorylation was measured by means of P³² in various excitable tissues immersed in sodium-free hydrazinium solution. Despite the fact that phosphorylation was inhibited as much as 80%, the electrical properties were essentially unchanged. In hydrazine solution, the PCr content decreased over 50% while ATP and other nucleotides showed relatively little change, suggesting that the bioelectric potentials are not related to PCr content. Hydrazine (Hz) was found to be a potent inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation of rat brain mitochondria at concentrations comparable to the intracellular concentration needed for excitability. Hz was found to greatly stimulate the enzymatic reaction pyruvate + DPNH lactate + DPN. The reverse reaction was increased as much as fivefold by Hz. The conclusion was reached that excitability of frog spinal ganglia and other excitable tissues was not dependent on active metabolism, even after many hours in Hz solution.