Cytoprotection by melatonin and growth hormone in early rat myocardial infarction as revealed by Feulgen DNA staining.

Objective: To examine the cytoprotective effect of melatonin or recombinant human growth hormone (hGH) on the early phase of a running myocardial infarction in rats by using the Feulgen staining.

Methods: Rats were subjected to surgical ligature of the left coronary artery or its sham-operation and were studied 1.5 3 h later.