EFFECT OF ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL ON MITOCHONDRIAL ELECTRON-TRANSPORT IN EXPERIMENTAL MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN RATS

The effect of alpha-tocopherol pretreatment (6 mg/100 g body wt/day, o rally for a period of 90 days) on mitochondrial electron transport in myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol (20 mg/100 g body wt, s ubcutaneously for two days) was studied in rats. A significant decreas e was observed in the activities of isocitrate dehydrogenase, alpha-ke toglutarate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogena se, NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase in heart mitochondria of isoproterenol administered rats. The cytochrome content and the oxida tion of succinate in state 3 and state 4 decreased significantly in th e cardiac mitochondria on isoproterenol treatment. In alpha-tocopherol pretreated rats, the activities of TCA cycle enzymes, concentration o f cytochromes and the oxidation of succinate in state 3 and state 4 we re retained at near normal values, following isoproterenol administrat ion.