Protective Effects of L-Arginine on Experimental Myocardial Injury Induced by .BETA.-Adrenergic Stimulation in Rats.

Abstract

Changes in the activities of lysosomal enzymes (β-D-galactosidase, β-D-glucosidase, β-D-N-acetyl glucosaminidase, and β-fucosidase), mitochondrial enzymes (isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, and NADH dehydrogenase) and marker enzymes of cardiac function (LDH, AST, ALT, and CK) during isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction and the effect of L-arginine pre-treatment were studied in male albino rats. In the rats given isoproterenol, there were significant increases in serum activities of LDH, CK, AST, and ALT and significant reductions in the myocardial tissue. Activity of the lysosomal enzyme β-D-N-acetyl glucosaminidase was considerably increased, and β-galactosidase was considerably decreased in the isoproterenol-treated rats as compared with that in those given isoproterenol after pre-treatment with L-arginine. The activities of the mitochondrial enzymes in the isoproterenol-intoxicated group were significantly lower as compared with those of the L-arginine supplemented rats given isoproterenol. These results confirm the efficacy of L-arginine as a potent cardioprotective agent and the protective effect of L-arginine against isoproterenol-induced mitochondrial and lysosomal damage.