title: Attenuation of amiodarone-induced lung fibrosis and phospholipidosis in hamsters by taurine and/or niacin treatment.
abstract: Therapeutic use of amiodarone (AD), an effective antiarrhythmic drug, is associated with serious pulmonary toxicity (e.g., fibrosis and phospholipidosis). In the present study, we tested if taurine and/or niacin, which prevent bleomycin-induced lung toxicity, could prevent AD-induced lung toxicity in hamsters. AD alone significantly increased lung hydroxyproline (an index of fibrosis) and lung phospholipid (an index of phospholipidosis) levels to 154 and 133% of their control counterparts at 21 days, respectively. However, treatment of hamsters with taurine, niacin or taurine + niacin for 6 days before AD, and daily thereafter, significantly decreased subsequent AD-induced collagen accumulation. Similarly, phospholipid levels in niacin + AD and taurine + niacin + AD groups were decreased significantly compared to AD alone. We conclude that taurine and niacin administered p.o. either singly or in combination can significantly decrease AD-induced increases in lung collagen deposition and phospholipidosis and may, therefore, be potentially useful in reducing AD-induced pulmonary toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hollinger
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Giri
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D006224:Cricetinae; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009525:Niacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013654:Taurine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D010743:Phospholipids; D013654:Taurine; D009525:Niacin; D003094:Collagen; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000638:Amiodarone; D006909:Hydroxyproline