HISTOCHEMICAL AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF RESERPINE ON THE HEART MUSCLE OF MICE

¹ Department of Medicine of the Tulane University School of Medicine and the Charity Hospital of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana

A number of recent reports have indicated that reserpine may produce a variety of biochemical and structural changes in the myocardium of experimental animals. This report describes the effects of reserpine on the myocardium of mice by electron microscopic and selected histochemical techniques. Histochemical evidence of a derangement in lipid and glycogen metabolism and depression of mitochondrial oxidative enzymes was demonstrated. Ultrastructural studies showed significant changes in mitochondrial architecture in reserpine-treated mice. Tile findings support the hypothesis that reserpine can cause damage to the myocardium and provide anatomic evidence to support previously reported uncoupled oxidative phosphorylation in reserpine-treated animals.