Effect of L-arginine Oral Supplementation on Response to Myocardial Infarction in Hypercholesterolemic and Hypertensive Rats

Abstract

The well known metabolic functions of L-arginine have been recently increased with the discovery of its role as the substrate for the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), which has emerged as an endogenous signaling molecule with potential therapeutic implications for cardiovascular disease. Steady-state levels of NO are derived in part from dietary sources. It has been reported that supplementation of L-arginine reduces atherosclerosis in rabbits and reduces the arterial pressure in hypertensive rats. Therefore, we investigated the effect of L-arginine supplementation using a group of induced hypercholesterolemic rats and a group of spontaneously hypertensive rats; the infarcted area in cardiac tissue of both groups was measured during the response to myocardial infarction in the ischemia-reperfusion model. Hypercholesterolemic rats supplemented with 170 mg kg(-1) of L-arginine showed a significant (P <or= 0.05) reduction in total cholesterol (25.2%) and LDL (27.8%). Spontaneously hypertensive rats supplemented with L-arginine presented a significant reduction (20.3%) in mean blood pressure (P <or= 0.05). The index infarcted area/total heart area, in both: hypercholesterolemic and hypertensive rats supplemented with L-arginine, showed a significant 36% and 29% of cardio protection (P <or= 0.05) effect, respectively. Dietary supplementation with L-arginine may represent a potentially novel nutritional strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Effect of arginine on IL-6, IL-17 and TGF-β levels in high-fat diet-induced hypercholesterolemia rat

“…LDL cholesterol activates endothelial cells, macrophages, lymphocytes, fibroblast and vascular smooth muscle to secrete Il-6. IL-6, as soluble mediator of the inflammatory responsewill diffuse from sub mucous lining into the vascular lumen, 21 so that the high levels of IL-6 was detected in the blood of high-fat diet rats.Arginine is a nitric oxide precursor, has an indirect antioxidant role and is a naturally occurring continuously released vasoactive agent that controls vascular tone. In our study, the level of IL-6 in the high-fat diet rats supplemented with arginine was lower compared to the high-fat diet rats with no arginine.…”

Soybean and Obesity

“…The amino acid of interest for this study was arginine. This amino acid was link with the decrease in the progression of atherosclerotic plaque and protection against damage produced by ischemia-reperfusion (Piñeiro et. al., 2010).…”

Physiological Effects of Salmon Milt Nucleoprotein on Movement, Stress Tolerance and Lifespan of &lt;i&gt;C. elegans&lt;/i&gt;

“…For example, nucleic acid, which is known to show antioxidant and anti-aging effects, has long been used as an additive of powdered milk for infants. Also, amino acid arginine is abundantly contained in protamine, a major ingredient of salmon milt protein, and is known to show various physiological functions such as enhancement of immune response and metabolism, increase of fertility, and activation of insulin secretion [7][8][9]. Salmon milt extract contains a combination of nucleic acid and nucleoprotein, and is therefore thought to show more effecttive physiological effects.…”