Effect of reserpine and calcium antagonists on doxorubicin storage in various organs of young and senescent rats.

Reserpine pre-treatment causes a considerable decrease in typical red-orange doxorubicin fluorescence of the organs examined (kidney, large intestine, spleen) and a similar picture is observed after calcium antagonists administration. This effect is far more evident in the spleen and large intestine than in the kidney; moreover, it seems more marked in young rats compared with aged ones. An inhibitory action of these drugs on the anthracycline transport carrier through the cell membrane is hypothesized.