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The effects of diltiazem in dystrophic hamsters
Author(s) -
Bhattacharya Syamal K.,
Palmieri Genaro M. A.,
Bertorini Tulio E.,
Nutting David F.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880050114
Subject(s) - diltiazem , medicine , hamster , endocrinology , muscular dystrophy , antagonist , duchenne muscular dystrophy , calcium , diaphragm (acoustics) , dystrophy , skeletal muscle , cardiomyopathy , chemistry , mesocricetus , heart failure , pathology , receptor , physics , acoustics , loudspeaker
Calcium accumulates in muscles of dystrophic hamsters (DH) and patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Various Ca antagonists were beneficial to the cardiomyopathy of DH, but had only minor effects on skeletal muscle. We administered a new Ca antagonist, diltiazem, 25 mg/kg/day orally to normal and dystrophic hamsters from ages 37 to 92 days. We observed a marked reduction in muscle Ca in DH treated with diltiazem: 73% in the heart, 61% in the diaphragm, and 48% in the rectus femoris. Plasma CK was significantly lower (by 37%) in treated DH, while the elevated rate of noncollagen protein synthesis in the diaphragm was not diminished. Histologically, the most important change was a reduction in Ca deposits in the heart. Diltiazem was well‐tolerated by all animals and did not modify Ca content in normal hamsters. This study suggests that diltizem may have therapeutic value in those conditions that are accompanied by excessive accumulation of Ca in tissues, such as muscular dystrophy.