Low nitric oxide values associated with low levels of zinc and high levelsof cardiac necrosis markers detected in the plasma of rabbits treated withL-NAME

Nitric oxide plays a key role as a vasodilating agent and its deficiency is associated with ischemic heart diseases. The aim of this study was to indu ce biochemical alterations associated with ischemic heart lesions by blocki ng nitric oxide synthase. L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, was ad ministered to rabbits and its effects on blood pressure, plasma levels of n itric oxide, zinc and cardiac necrosis markers, heart histology, and electr ocardiographic profile were examined. L-NAME administration reduced the nit ric oxide levels and consequently increased the diastolic blood pressure. I t also caused small areas of myocardial coagulative necrosis, whose dispers ed nature made it undetectable by electrocardiograph, and decreased the pla sma levels of zinc, which is involved in the enzymatic activities that remo ve the peroxides damaging the myocardium. This model is proposed for the de velopment of drugs affecting nitric oxide levels with the aim of controllin g coronary ischemia.