Ethanol ingestion on allylamine-induced experimental subendocardial fibrosis

Effects of ethanol ingestion on allylamine-induced subendocardial fibrosis of the myocardium and intimal hyperplasia of the intramyocardial coronary artery were investigated in male Wistar rats. The toxic effect of allylamine is ascribed to acrolein produced from allylamine by benzylamine oxidase. Animals were forced to drink allylamine solution for 12 weeks. Incidence and size of subendocardial fibrosis were examined, and the lesions of the intramyocardial artery were scrutinized. Effects of ethanol on the systemic blood pressure and benzylamine oxidase activity were investigated in another experiment. Treatment with allylamine resulted in subendocardial fibrosis (size = 4.2%) in 4 of 12 rats. The incidence of fibrosis was increased (up to 6/12) and the area of fibrosis was augmented (to 6.8%) in animals additionally treated with epinephrine. The lesions in the intramyocardial vasculature were also augmented. Ethanol ingestion reduced allylamine-induced subendocardial fibrosis and intramyocardial coronary lesions. The effects were significant in animals additionally treated with epinephrine. Systemic blood pressure and benzylamine oxidase activity were not significantly affected by allylamine or by ethanol. The vasodilatory effect of ethanol may have prevented the development of microvascular spasm induced by allylamine.