Function of myocardial mitochondria in the adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy of rabbits.

Ultrastructural examination of the myocardia of New Zealand White rabbits showed a progressive cardiomyopathy with prominent mitochondrial lesions after 56 days of increased doses of adriamycin. During all phases of study, similar respiratory control rates and ADP:O ratios were found in myocardial mitochondria isolated from adriamycin-treated and control rabbits.