[Changes in the cardiovascular system after continuous and intermittent administration of the rodenticide ratron]

The authors follow up the effect of "Ratron" a raticide (coumarin derivative) with two regimes of administration--monotonous and intermittent--upon the state of the cardiovascular system of experimental animals. The experiment was carried out on 65 female albino rats, grouped into three groups: group I--20 animals treated 5 times weekly with 1/100 LD50 ratron--five weeks; group II--25 animals, administered 5 times weekly every second week 1/50 LD50, and group III--20 controls. At the end of the sixth month, the state of the metabolic processes and the qualitative and quantitative characteristic of the connective tissue of myocardium and aorta were followed up by biochemical and histological methods. Unidirectional deviations in metabolism and the structure of myocardium and aorta were observed under the effect of both regimes, the changes being better manifested with the intermittent administration of ratron. Data were established not only about the general toxic effect of ratron but about the direct lesions of vessels, multiple hemorrhages, interstitial oedema, regeneration of endothelium, structural changes in the small vessels, changes in the components of the basic intercellular substance of the connective tissue.