Failure of the antioxidant vitamin E to protect against adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity in the rabbit.
Recently, vitamin E has been proposed to protect against Adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity. We studied contractile decline and ultramicroscopic alterations of the heart of rabbits chronically treated with Adriamycin up to a cumulative dose of 400 mg/sq m. High doses of vitamin E did not protect against the Adriamycin-induced development of severe contractile decline as evaluated by means of measurement of the interval-force relationship curve. Light and electron microscopic analysis did not show any signs of protection against Adriamycin-induced morphological alterations. Biochemical and hematological alterations. Biochemical and hematological alterations caused by the antineoplastic agent were similar in both Adriamycin-treated animal groups. Coadministration of vitamin E did result in an increased life span. This study indicates that vitamin E does not protect against the development of cardiomyopathy and contractile decline after chronic exposure to Adriamycin.
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000187:drug effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000633:toxicity*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014810:Vitamin E; D004317:Doxorubicin