Electrocardiographic evaluation of the effect of carvedilol on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in an experimental model with rabbits

• Grant number: 13/25996-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2014
• End date: April 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Aparecido Antonio Camacho
• Grantee: Murillo Daparé Kirnew
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Doxorubicin is one of the most effective chemotherapeutic agents currently available. However, its use has been limited by its cardiotoxic effect, especially when used for a long time, leading to iatrogenic cardiomyopathy, related to the cumulative dose administered. Because of the refractoriness of the cardiotoxic effects resulting from the treatment with doxorubicin, its prevention plays a singular role. The use of drugs that prevent the cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin could allow more intense exploration of the therapeutic potential of this anticancer agent, resulting in a important and positive impact on anticancer therapy. Given the free radical's role in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, one alternative to minimize these deleterious effects is the use of free radical scavengers and antioxidant drugs. Carvedilol is a beta-blocker drug with vasodilator properties, in addition to antioxidant and free radical scavenger. Finally, patient receiving doxorubicin are in risk to development of cardiac arrhythmias, making electrocardiographic evaluation an essential part of its monitoring. So, this study aims to evaluate electrocardiographically the role of carvedilol on the doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in an experimental model with rabbits.