Anthracycline derivatives are among the most effective antineoplastic drugs but their therapeutic use is limited by their adverse effects. The cardiac side-effects of antineoplastic drugs were investigated in rabbits in vivo from the viewpoint of release of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) measured by Elecsys Troponin T STAT immunoassay (Boehringer Mannheim, Germany). No increase in cTnT was found following administration of a single dose of daunorubicin (3 mg/kg i.v., n = 4). During development of daunorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (daunorubicin 3 mg/kg i.v., once a week; maximum nine administrations, n = 7), the levels of cTnT were within the physiological range (i.e. cTnT <0.1 microg/l) at the beginning of the experiment and before and after the 5th administration, but the pathological values of cTnT after the 8th administration in 43% animals (0.22+/-0.08 microg/l) correlated with their premature death. In the control group, the levels of cTnT were always lower than 0.1 microg/l during the experiment. Following administration of a new antineoplastic drug - Oracin [6-[2-(2-hydroxyethyl) aminoethyl]-5,11-dioxo-5,6-dihydro-11H-indeno [1,2-c]-isoquinoline hydrochloride, 10 mg/kg i.v., once weekly, ten administrations, n = 7], there was no increase in cTnT levels. These findings correlated with the PEP: LVET index, histological examination and no animal succumbing to premature death. It is possible to conclude that cTnT is a useful marker for the prediction of experimentally induced anthracycline cardiomyopathy and for the evaluation of cardiotoxic (and, possibly, cardioprotective) effects of new drugs in rabbits.

The effect of repeated i.v. administration (once weekly, 12 administrations) of a new antineoplastic agent, Oracin (6-[2-(2-hydroxyethyl)aminoethyl]-5, 11-dioxo-5,6-dihydro-11 H-indeno [1,2-c]-isochinoline hydrochloride, 10 mg/kg) and daunorubicin (3 mg/kg) were investigated in rabbits in vivo. The criterion of occurrence of cardiotoxicity was compared with a control group of animals. Noninvasive polygraphic records were used to evaluate the function of the heart. The morphological changes of the heart were evaluated after the death of animals. There were no significant changes found in the ratio of the pre-ejection period/left ventricular ejection time (PEP: LVET ratio) after administration of Oracin (values between 0.3080 and 0.3310) or in the control group (values between 0.3425 and 0.3885). The administration of daunorubicin induced a significant, progressive increase in the PEP: LVET ratio (0.3775-0.9473), which was significantly different both from the Oracin-treated and the control group of animals. Histological examination of the hearts from the control group revealed normal structure of the myocardium including minute changes (dispersed cardiomyocytes with intensively eosinophilic cytoplasm, and several single cells with degenerated myofibrils) similar to the normal changes in muscle tissue. A very similar scenario was found in the Oracin group with the exception of one case where a slightly higher number of degenerated and necrotic cells was occurring. Administration of daunorubicin resulted in severe dispersed damage of the myocardium (myocytolysis with subsequent interstitial fibrosis), the changes being markedly different from those of the Oracin treatment and the control group. On the basis of our results it is possible to conclude that the administration of Oracin (10 mg/kg i.v.) did not induce signs of cardiotoxicity in rabbits in vivo.

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