title: The cardiac effects of carbon nanotubes in rat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are novel candidates in nanotechnology with a variety of increasing applications in medicine and biology. Therefore the investigation of nanomaterials' biocompatibility can be an important topic. The aim of present study was to investigate the CNTs impact on cardiac heart rate among rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals were recorded before and after injection of CNTs on a group with six rats. The heart rate variability (HRV) analysis was used for signals analysis. The rhythm-to-rhythm (RR) intervals in HRV method were computed and features of signals in time and frequency domains were extracted before and after injection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RESULTS of the HRV analysis showed that CNTs increased the heart rate but generally these nanomaterials did not cause serious problem in autonomic nervous system (ANS) normal activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Injection of CNTs in rats resulted in increase of heart rate. The reason of phenomenon is that multiwall CNTs may block potassium channels. The suppressed and inhibited IK and potassium channels lead to increase of heart rate.
authors.affiliation: Biomechatronics Lab, Department of Mechatronics, School of Engineering Emerging Technologies, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosseinpour
authors.affiliation: Biomechatronics Lab, Department of Mechatronics, School of Engineering Emerging Technologies, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Azimirad
authors.affiliation: Biomechatronics Lab, Department of Mechatronics, School of Engineering Emerging Technologies, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alimohammadi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Parviz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shahabi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadighi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghazaleh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ghamkhari Nejad
keywords: Carbon nanotubes; ECG signal; Heart function; MWCNT; RR interval