Compounds that bind to digitalis receptor

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What we claim is: 1.
A C3-glycoside derivative of a 14.
beta.
-hydroxypregnane and having the formula: ##STR9## wherein GLY is a glycoside radical selected from the group consisting of glucoside, rhamnoside and tridigitoxoside.
2.
A C3-glycoside derivative of a 14.
beta.
-hydroxypregnane and having the formula: ##STR10## where GLY is a glycoside radical selected from the group consisting of glucoside, rhamnoside and tridigitoxoside and R is an amino group.




Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to certain novel steroid compounds which exhibit novel effects which suggest utility as heart stimulants.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The digitalis-derived steroid glycosides have been among the most widely-prescribed drugs.
Digoxin today is the most favored digitaloid in the clinic and is extensively used to treat certain cardiac dysfunctions.
The cardiac glycosides bind with high affinity and high specificity to a Na.
sup.
+ - and K.
sup.
+ -transporting ATPase.
It is generally accepted that inhibition of this cellular enzyme by the cardiac glycosides initiates a series of events in the cardiac muscle that lead to increased contractility.
Weiland et al in J.
Enz.
Inhib.
2:31 to 36, 1987 have described the effect of forming glycosides of chloramidone acetate (CMA).
It had previously been observed that CMA had a high affinity for Na/K-ATPase but causes cardiodepression or decreased contractility, which overrides any positive effects on contractility that otherwise result from inhibition of the Na.
sup.
+ /K.
sup.
+ pump.
Certain glycoside derivatives of CMA, namely the arabinofuranoside and the rhamnoside derivatives, are described by Weiland et al and were tested for Na.
sup.
+ /K.
sup.
+ -ATPase inhibition and in vivo inotropic activity, in comparison with the hydroxy derivatives of CMA and digoxin.
A decreased potency for the glycosides was observed when compared to the hydroxy derivative of CMA and digoxin (itself a glycoside) but the glycosides increased contractility, in comparison with the depressive action of CMA