Toxic Effects of Violamycin BI, Carminomycin and Daunorubicin on the Myocardium of Rabbits

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Abstract
Cardiac toxicity of the new anthracycline antitumor antibiotics violamycin BI (V) and carminomycin (C) was studied in comparison with daunorubicin (D). Rabbits were i.v. given total doses of 0.1-1.5 mg/kg V or C, and 0.64-18 mg/kg D, respectively, twice weekly for 1 mo. When examined 2-6 days, 2 and 4 wk, respectively, after the last drug administration the gross findings consisted of hydropericardium, hydrothorax and ascites in some animals. Histologically, loss of striation and focal necrosis of cardiac muscle cells and subsequently chronic inflammatory reactions and/or proliferation of mesenchyma cells were mostly found. These alterations were somewhat more pronounced in rabbits treated with V than in animals received D or C. At equitoxic doses of the antibiotics tested the ultrastructural lesions in the myocardial cells were altogether less marked after treatment with D than with C or V.