Preliminary Study of the Protective Effect of the Calcium Channel Blocker, Nifedipine, on Adriamycin-Induced Tissue Injury

The effect of nifedipine, an oral calcium-channel blocker, on adriamycin-induced wound healing was studied. Nifedipine was administered to animals prior to treating with adriamycin. The healing strengths of cecal, fascial, and skin anatomoses were measured. Animals treated with adriamycin alone had significant decreases in healing strength compared to controls: for cecum at postoperative days (POD) 7 and 14; for skin at PODs 14, 21, and 28; for fascia at POD 28. Overall, nifedipine reduced the impact of adriamycin injury on the strength of healing incisional anastomoses. Nifedipine also appeared to protect collagen synthesis at anastomotic sites from adriamycin-induced impairment.