Cardiotoxicity induced by inhalation of petroleum products

Abstract

Exposure to petroleum products has been associated with high blood pressure. This study was designed to investigate the effect of petroleum products on cardiac tissue architecture and creatine kinase (CK- MB). Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to diesel, kerosene and petrol by inhalation for eight weeks. At the end of the study, blood samples were collected, blood pressure was measured and animal heart was harvested for histological study. Blood pressure and serum creatine kinase (CK-MB) was significantly higher in the exposed compared with control rats. Degeneration of myocardial tissue was also observed in the exposed rats. The findings from the study revealed that the cardio-toxic effect of petroleum products is via creatine kinase-dependent mechanism.

Keywords: Creatine kinase, phosphokinase, petroleum, heart, cardio-toxicity, blood pressure