Possible Cardiotoxic Effects of Vanadium

Abstract

Vanadium, a ubiquitous element, is physiologically and pharmacologically an active substance and is present in most of mammalian tissues Jandhala and Horn, 1983). Large corpus of information exists on the mode of action of vanadium on cardiac muscles (Jandhala and Horn, 1983., Solaro et al, 1980), but the basis of pharma­cological lesion underlying its cardiac toxi­city is still poorly understood. Except for the solitary report of Lewis (1958) to best of our knowledge no information exists on the effect of vanadium on the functioning of heart as shown by electrocardiography.

Large amounts of vanadium are relea­sed into atmosphere by combustion of fossil fuel (Vouk, 1979) and due to rapid indus­trialisation its environmental concentra­tion is reported to be increasing (Goldberg et al, 1974., Jaffe and Walters, 1977., Vouk, 1979). This necessitates the monitoring of its environmental and occupational hazards. In the present study cardiac side effects of vanadium, as revealed through ECG has been investigated in rabbits, since the electrocardiogram of rabbit resembles with of man in essential details (Weisborth et al, 1974).