aconitine and Body-Weight

We examined the influence of chronic administration of nandrolone decanoate with low-intensity endurance swimming exercise on susceptibility to lethal ventricular arrhythmias in rat. The animal groups included the control group, exercise group (EX), nandrolone group (Nan), vehicle group (Arach), trained vehicle group (Arach + Ex) and trained nandrolone group (Nan + Ex) that treated for 8 weeks. Then, arrhythmia induction was performed by intravenous infusion of aconitine and electrocardiogram recorded. Then, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydroxyproline (HYP) and glutathione peroxidase of heart tissue were measured. Chronic administration of nandrolone with low-intensity endurance swimming exercise had no significant effect on blood pressure, heart rate and basal ECG parameters except RR interval that showed increase (P < 0.05). Low-intensity exercise could prevent the incremental effect of nandrolone on MDA and HYP significantly. It also increased the heart hypertrophy index (P < 0.05) and reduced the abating effect of nandrolone on animal weighting. Nandrolone along with exercise significantly increased the duration of VF (P < 0.05) and reduced the VF latency (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that chronic co-administration of nandrolone with low-intensity endurance swimming exercise to some extent facilitates the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation in rat. Complementary studies are needed to elucidate the involved mechanisms of this abnormality.

Topics: Aconitine; Anabolic Agents; Animals; Body Weight; Cardiomegaly; Electrocardiography; Glutathione Peroxidase; Hydroxyproline; Infusions, Intravenous; Male; Malondialdehyde; Myocardium; Nandrolone; Nandrolone Decanoate; Physical Conditioning, Animal; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Swimming; Ventricular Fibrillation

Varenicline is one of the most widely used drugs for smoking cessation. However, whether an adverse effect of varenicline is associated with the risk of serious cardiovascular events remains controversial. In this study, we determined if varenicline increases the risk of cardiovascular events using apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE KO) mice. ApoE KO mice (8 weeks old) were injected with varenicline 0.5 mg kg(-1)day(-1) for 3 weeks. Varenicline aggravated atherosclerotic plaque formation in whole aorta from ApoE KO mice compared with vehicle. Methyllycaconitine, an α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonist, inhibited varenicline-induced aggravated plaque formation. Our findings show that varenicline progresses atherosclerotic plaque formation through α7 nAChR, and thereby increases the risk of cardiovascular events.

Topics: Aconitine; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; Animals; Apolipoproteins E; Benzazepines; Body Weight; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cholesterol; Disease Models, Animal; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Nicotinic Agonists; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Quinoxalines; Varenicline

Epidemiological studies demonstrate an association between arrhythmias and air pollution. Aconitine-induced cardiac arrhythmia is widely used experimentally to examine factors that alter the risk of arrhythmogenesis. In this study, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats acutely exposed to synthetic residual oil fly ash (s-ROFA) particles (450 mug/m(3)) were "challenged" with aconitine to examine whether a single exposure could predispose to arrhythmogenesis. Separately, SH rats were exposed to varied particulate matter (PM) concentrations (0.45, 1.0, or 3.5 mg/m(3) s-ROFA), or the irritant gas acrolein (3 ppm), to better assess the generalization of this challenge response. Rather than directly cause arrhythmias, we hypothesized that inhaled air pollutants sensitize the heart to subsequent dysrhythmic stimuli. Twenty-four hour postexposure, urethane-anesthetized rats were monitored for heart rate (HR), electrocardiogram, and blood pressure (BP). SH rats had higher baseline HR and BP and significantly longer PR intervals, QRS duration, QTc, and JTc than WKY rats. PM exposure caused a significant increase in the PR interval, QRS duration, and QTc in WKY rats but not in SH rats. Heart rate variability was significantly decreased in WKY rats after PM exposure but increased in SH rats. Cumulative dose of aconitine that triggered arrhythmias in air-exposed SH rats was lower than WKY rats and even lower for each strain postexposure. SH rats exposed to varied concentrations of PM or acrolein developed arrhythmia at significantly lower doses of aconitine than controls; however, there was no PM concentration-dependent response. In conclusion, a single exposure to air pollution may increase the sensitivity of cardiac electrical conduction to disruption. Moreover, there seem to be host factors (e.g., cardiovascular disease) that increase vulnerability to triggered arrhythmias regardless of the pollutant or its concentration.

Topics: Aconitine; Air Pollution; Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Blood Pressure; Body Weight; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electrocardiography; Heart Rate; Particle Size; Rats; Rats, Inbred SHR; Rats, Inbred WKY; Risk Factors

Aconitine, a major Aconitum alkaloid, is well known for its high toxicity that induces severe arrhythmias leading to death. However, aconitine has been used as one of the most popular compounds in Shino-Japanese traditional herbal medicine. Little has been reported concerned with the long-term effects of aconitine. Therefore, the authors investigated the physiological effects of chronic administrations of aconitine by determining the changes in body weight and rectal temperature of mice, compared with the concentrations of aconitine and its metabolites (benzoylaconine and aconine) in the liver and kidneys. The concentration ratio of aconitine to the total Aconitum alkaloids (from day 0 to 22; 90 min after the last administration) gradually decreased, whereas its metabolites increased until day 22. The body weight gain in aconitine-administered group was less than that of the control group until day 22. Transient rectal hypothermia occurred within 30 min after the last administration of aconitine. Then the rectal temperature gradually increased to normal level in respect to time. This study might reveal the possibilities that the drug metabolism of aconitine increased and the toxicity of aconitine decreased due to long-term administrations of aconitine.

Topics: Aconitine; Animals; Body Temperature; Body Weight; Male; Mice; Rectum

In a previous study, we demonstrated that in rat striatal synaptosomes, methamphetamine (METH)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was prevented by methyllycaconitine (MLA), a specific antagonist of alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (alpha7 nAChR). The aim of this study was to test the influence of MLA on acute METH effects and neurotoxicity in mice, using both in vivo and in vitro models. MLA inhibited METH-induced climbing behavior by 50%. Acute effects after 30-min preincubation with 1 microM METH also included a decrease in striatal synaptosome dopamine (DA) uptake, which was prevented by MLA. METH-induced neurotoxicity was assessed in vivo in terms of loss of striatal dopaminergic terminals (73%) and of tyrosine hydroxylase levels (by 90%) at 72 h post-treatment, which was significantly attenuated by MLA. Microglial activation [measured as 1-(2-chlorophenyl)-N-methyl-N-(1-methylpropyl)-3-isoquinolinecarboxamide binding] was also present at 24 h post-treatment and was fully prevented by MLA, tending to confirm its neuroprotective activity. MLA had no effect on METH-induced hyperthermia. Additionally, flow cytometry assays showed that METH-induced ROS generation occurs inside synaptosomes from mouse striatum. This effect implied release of vesicular DA and was calcium-, neuronal nitric-oxide synthase-, and protein kinase C-dependent. MLA and alpha-bungarotoxin, but not dihydro-beta-erythroidine (an antagonist that blocks nAChR-containing beta2 subunits), fully prevented METH-induced ROS production without affecting vesicular DA uptake. The importance of this study lies not only in the neuroprotective effect elicited by the blockade of the alpha7 nicotinic receptors by MLA but also in that it proposes a new mechanism with which to study METH-induced acute and long-term effects.

Topics: Aconitine; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; Animals; Antioxidants; Blotting, Western; Body Temperature; Body Weight; Calcium; Cell Membrane; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Dopamine; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Enzyme Inhibitors; Immunohistochemistry; Isoquinolines; Male; Methamphetamine; Mice; Microglia; Motor Activity; Neostriatum; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Nicotinic Antagonists; Radioligand Assay; Reactive Oxygen Species; Receptors, Nicotinic; Synaptic Vesicles; Synaptosomes; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

Aminothiol amifostine (AMI) protects against toxic effects of both ionizing radiation and numerous anticancer drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential protective effects of AMI against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Male Wistar rats were treated with AMI (75 mg/kg i.p.) and/or DOX (1.25 mg/kg i.p.), 4 times per week, for 4 weeks. Mortality, general condition and body weight of the animals were observed during the whole treatment, and for a further 4 weeks, until the end of experiment. Evaluation of cardioprotective efficacy of AMI was performed by analyzing the electrocardiographic parameters and response to the pro-arrhythmic agent aconitine, as well as activity registration of the in situ rat heart preparations. Necropsy was also performed at the end of the experiment, and heart excision, weight and macroscopic examination were done before histological evaluation. Doxorubicin caused rat heart disturbances manifested by prominent electrocardiographic changes (Salpha-T prolongation and T-wave flattening), significantly enhanced response to aconitine, decrease of the heart rate and contractility, as well as histopathologically verified myocardial lesions. The heart changes were accompanied by 40% mortality rate, significant decline in body mass and severe effusion intensity score in 66.6% of the animals. Application of AMI before each dose of DOX significantly reduced or completely prevented its toxic effects. Therefore, since AMI had very good protective effects against a high dose of DOX given as a multiple, low, unitary dose regimen, not only on the heart but on the whole rat as well, it could be recommended for further investigation in this potentially new indication for clinical application.

Topics: Aconitine; Amifostine; Animals; Ascitic Fluid; Body Weight; Cardiac Tamponade; Cardiomyopathies; Doxorubicin; Drug Administration Schedule; Electrocardiography; Heart Rate; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Male; Myocardium; Pleural Effusion; Premedication; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Time Factors; Ventricular Premature Complexes

"Animal-Plant Warfare" is one of the hypotheses for the evolution of drug-metabolizing P450s. To address the validity of this hypothesis, we examined the induction of xenobiotic-metabolizing P450s by 12 plant toxins in rats, using hepatic activity for testosterone metabolism as the index. The compounds tested were aconitine, morphine, tubocurarine, physostigmine, pilocarpine, muscarine, cocaine, atropine, amygdalin, digitonin, nicotine and solanine. Drinking water containing a test compound was given to rats for 4 days, and the hepatic activity of testosterone metabolism was determined together with monitoring body weight gain and liver weight as the indices of toxicity. The results showed that while cocaine and nicotine have a minor ability to increase testosterone 16 beta-hydroxylase activity, a marker activity for the CYP2B1 and 2, all other compounds did not have any such effect. No correlation was observed between a change in 16 beta-hydroxylase and toxicity caused by toxins. Therefore, these results did not support the idea that the inducibility of the CYP2B subfamily in animals is acquired through "Animal-Plant Warfare". Several compounds examined here increased or decreased hepatic activities of testosterone 2 alpha-, 6 beta-, 7 alpha- and 16 alpha-hydroxylation and 17-oxidation, indicating a possible effect on the CYP2A, 2C and 3A subfamily. Of these effects, a moderate correlation (r < 0.49) was observed in the changes in the activities of 2 alpha-/16 alpha-hydroxylation and 17-oxidation vs. that in toxicity. It is therefore suggested that inhibition or suppression of the expression of CYP2C11 is one of the mechanisms in the toxicity of plant toxins for rats, although it comes from an examination using limited numbers of compounds.

Topics: Aconitine; Amygdalin; Animals; Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; Body Weight; Cocaine; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Cytochrome P450 Family 2; Digitonin; Enzyme Induction; Male; Microsomes, Liver; Nicotine; Organ Size; Plants; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Solanine; Steroid 16-alpha-Hydroxylase; Steroid Hydroxylases; Testosterone; Toxins, Biological

The present study was undertaken in order to investigate the possibility of cardiac hypersensitivity to norepinephrine (NE) after propranolol withdrawal in rats. The effect of NE was studied on heart rate and left intraventricular pressure development (maximal dP/dt) in the isolated perfused heart at various time periods after termination of the propranolol feeding. Also, the influence of propranolol withdrawal on vulnerability to aconitine-induced arrhythmias in vivo was evaluated in anesthetized rats. No hypersensitivity to NE was seen in the perfused rat heart 1 and 3 days after propranolol withdrawal. Rather, a depressed response to NE was registered suggesting a long half-life for the disappearance of beta adrenoceptor blockade. Increased vulnerability to aconitine-induced arrhythmias was observed 1 and 3 days after treatment with propranolol had ceased. Rats receiving propranolol continuously until experimentation exhibited an elevated threshold to aconitine-induced arrhythmias. These data indicate that a hypothetical rebound phenomenon after withdrawal of propranolol is not associated with an increase in mechanical performance of the heart in response to NE. A decreased threshold for development of arrhythmias appears, however, to be at hand, perhaps due to an inbalance in the transmembrane sodium flux in the heart in the early time course after propranolol withdrawal.

Topics: Aconitine; Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Body Weight; Eating; Heart; Humans; Male; Norepinephrine; Organ Size; Propranolol; Rats; Receptors, Adrenergic; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome