Angiographic Evaluation of Vascular Damage in Rat Liver After Administration of Epirubicin or Miriplatin

BACKGROUND: Maintaining the function of blood vessels is important for the control of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during treatment with repeated transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). This study was designed to compare the vascular damage caused by miriplatin (MPT), which has been commonly used for TACE, with the damage caused by epirubicin (EPI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the portal vein of healthy rats for the administration of the drug (MPT or EPI) and/or soybean oil as vehicle. After 2 days, angiography was performed by X-ray computer tomography. RESULTS: The influence of soybean oil on blood vessel function was volume-dependent. EPI showed dose-dependent effects on angiography, and 0.5 mg EPI led to severe (grade 4) blood flow disturbance in all animals. The effect of 1 mg MPT on blood vessels was mild (grade 1) in all animals and not different from that of soybean oil alone. CONCLUSION: Less vascular damage is caused by MPT than by EPI, suggesting that MPT is a useful drug for TACE in HCC.