We investigated the antioxidant preventive effect of betaine on isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in male albino rats. Isoprenaline induced myocardial infarction was manifested by a moderate elevation in the levels of diagnostic marker enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase) and homocysteine in plasma of experimental rats. Significant rise in the level of lipid peroxidation with a concomitant decline in the levels of myocardial non-enzymic (reduced glutathione) and enzymic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, catalase and superoxide dismutase) was also observed. Oral pretreatment with betaine significantly prevented isoprenaline-induced alterations in the levels of diagnostic marker enzymes and homocysteine in plasma of experimental groups of rats. It counteracted the isoprenaline-induced lipid peroxidation and maintained the myocardial antioxidant defense system at near normal. Histopathological observations also confirmed the protective effect of betaine against isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction. The results of the present investigation indicate that the protective effect of betaine is probably related to its ability to strengthen the myocardial membrane by its membrane stabilizing action or to a counteraction of free radicals by its antioxidant property.

No abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are emerging as a major public health problem in most parts of the world even in developing countries still afflicted by infectious diseases, undernutrition, and other illnesses related to poverty. In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of betaine, a potent lipotropic molecule, on changes in the levels of membrane-bound ATPase activities, lipid peroxidation, sulfhydryl activities, and mineral status in isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in Wistar rats, an animal model of myocardial infarction in man. Oral administration of betaine (250 mg/kg body weight/day for a period of 30 days) significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the isoprenaline-induced abnormalities noted in the levels of sodium, potassium, and calcium in plasma and heart tissue. Pretreatment with betaine significantly attenuated isoprenaline-induced membrane-bound ATPase depletion in the heart tissue and preserved the myocardial membrane-bound ATPase activities at levels comparable to that of control rats. Oral administration of betaine significantly attenuated the isoprenaline-altered sulfhydryl groups in the heart tissue and preserved the myocardial sulfhydryl activities at levels comparable to that of control rats. It also significantly counteracted the isoprenaline-mediated lipid peroxidation and maintained the level at near normal. In the results of the present study, betaine administration significantly prevented the isoprenaline-induced alterations in the activities of membrane-bound ATPases, lipid peroxides, myocardial sulfhydryl levels, and maintained the mineral status at near normal.