Toluene and benzene inhalation influences on ventricular arrhythmias in the rat

We have previously found that toluene did not share the capacity of benzene for increasing the arrhythmogenic action of epinephrine in the rat, but appeared to elicit the opposite effect. The present experiments were carried out to verify this observation in rats subjected to more severe ventricular arrhythmias. In animals previously inhaling either air, toluene or benzene and anesthetized with pentobarbital, arrhythmias were produced by coronary ligation or aconitine. In both models, toluene decreased and benzene increased the number of ectopic ventricular beats in the 30 min following induction of arrhythmia. Gas chromatographic measurement of toluene levels in the heart during and after inhalation revealed essentially constant concentrations at the time of arrhythmia evaluation, equivalent to approximately one-third the peak levels observed at the end of inhalation. Although the mechanism of the effect of toluene on arrhythmia could not be ascertained, nonspecific membrane stabilization or central serotonergic stimulation were considered as possible explanations. Since both mechanisms could be operant also in the case of benzene, the opposite effects of the solvents on arrhythmia could not be readily accounted for.