PubMed1978
The effect of acute and repeated action of cobalt, lead, antimony on the metabolism of the heart muscle is shown. High doses of the metals of approximately 1/5 LD50 were studied in the acute experiment and doses one fifth these in the repeated experiment. The data obtained indicated that due to the effect of all the poisons studied changes developed early in catecholamine metabolism - the myocardial noradrenaline content decreased and the blood and urine monamine levels rose. Increase in the content of pyruvic acid, intensification of glycogenolysis processes (increase in phosphorylase a activity and decrease in the glycogen level), and diminished activity of lactate dehydrogenase in the myocardium attested to changes in its metabolism. High doses of the metals caused an increase in the free activity of the lysosome enzymes, cathepsins and of acid phosphatase, which indicated that the permeability of the membranes of these organelles was disturbed. The mechanism of the cardiotoxic effect of the metals is discussed.