Increased nitric oxide availability worsens the cardiac performance during early re-perfusion period in adult rats.

Objectives: Re-perfusion is the standard therapy for acute myocardial infarction, despite the associated pathologies that may contribute to irreversible myocardial injury. The present study aims to clarify the alterations in cardiac activities in response to experimental cardiac ischemic arrest followed by re-perfusion in isolated hearts perfused with nitric oxide (NO) donor, l-arginine, or NO inhibitor, Nω-Nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME), to shed light on the possible role of NO in the re-perfusion process.

Methods: Hearts isolated from adult Wistar rats were studied on Langendorff preparation under basal conditions and during 30 min re-perfusion following 30 min of total global ischemia.

Supplementation of Lipoic Acid, Zinc and Clopidogrel Reduces Mortality Rate and Incidence of Ventricular Arrhythmia in Experimental Myocardial Infarction.

Despite the significant advances in management of coronary heart diseases, myocardial infarction (MI) is still associated with a high mortality rate. The present study was planned to investigate the possible protective effects of the anti-oxidants lipoic acid and zinc sulfate as well as the anti-platelet clopidogrel on cardiac dysfunction in experimental isoproterenol (ISO)-induced MI, aiming at achieving useful means for protection and therapy against MI. Wistar rats of both sexes were allocated into five groups: control, untreated MI and MI pre-treated with lipoic acid, zinc, or clopidogrel.

Gamma irradiation of Egyptian Cobra (Naja haje) Venom.

The aim of the present study was to prepare an effective and safe toxoid for the Egyptian Cobra (Naja haje) Venom by gamma irradiation. The effects of gamma irradiation (0.1-10 M rad) on the toxicity, as well as the antigen antibody complex formation reactivity was described.