The effect of tetracycline and vitamin E on energy metabolism in cardiac mitochondria of old rabbits pretreated with isoproterenol

: The possibility of eliminating adverse effects of tetracycline and isoproterenol pretreatment on energy generation of myocardial mitochondria by vitamin E administration was investigated in old rabbits. Vitamin E administered in doses of 1.5 mg per kg body weight over 6 days was found to improve energy metabolism in old rabbits whose metabolism had been deranged by isoproterenol pretreatment in the dose of 1.5 mg per kg body weight. Subsequent administration of vitamin E to rabbits pretreated with isoproterenol and tetracycline in doses of 15 mg per kg body weight daily over 6 days also resulted in improvement of energy metabolism parameters studied. Under the given conditions vitamin E was found to exert a protective effect on oxidative phosphorylation of the myocardium damaged by isoproterenol and tetracycline.