Amelioration of cardiotoxic effects of alcohol by vitamin E

Injection of mice with a single ip dose of 2g/kg of ethanol leads to time dependent increases of lactic dehydrogenase plasma isoenzymes indicative of myocardial damage. Electron microscopic analysis of the myocardium shows changes in mitochondrial structure, endoplasmic reticulum and myofibrils. Pretreatment of the animals with 86 units of alpha tocopherol partially prevented the changes in isoenzyme patterns and reduced the electron microscopic evidence of myocardial damage. The study supports previous findings that some of the toxic effects of alcohol might be mediated through free radical mechanisms leading to lipid peroxidation and that the ameliorating effect of alpha tocopherol could relate to its function as antioxidant and free radical scavenger.