Functional activity and morphology of isolated rat cardiac mitochondria under calcium overload. Effect of naringin.

The function of mitochondria as a regulator of myocyte calcium homeostasis has been extensively discussed. The aim of the present work was further clarification of the details of modulation of the functional activity of rat cardiac mitochondria by exogenous Ca ions either in the absence or in the presence of the plant flavonoid naringin. Low free Ca concentrations (40-250 nM) effectively inhibited the respiratory activity of heart mitochondria, remaining unaffected the efficacy of oxygen consumption.