The changes in the antioxidant status of heart during experimental hypomagnesemia in balb/c mice

The present experiment was performed to assess if hypomagnesemia can influe nce antioxidant status in mice heart. The results could explain possibly a free radical theory of heart damage in magnesium deficiency. We used a rode nt model of hypomagnesemia. The magnesium sufficient group received a stand ard diet whereas a magnesium deficient group received the diet containing a trace amount of magnesium. The activities of the most important antioxidan t enzymes - catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were assessed in mice heart and liver in a time dependent manner, on the 10th an d the 20th day of experiment. The level of magnesium in plasma of animals r eceiving the magnesium deficient diet dropped twice after the 8th day and f our times after the 13th day and then reached a plateau value. The activity of catalase in heart in the magnesium deficient group increased gradually and was significantly (P <0.05) elevated by 27% on the 20th day of experime nt whereas the superoxide dismutase activity was significantly decreased by 17% on the 20th day. Glutathione peroxidase activity was insignificantly e levated. The alterations of antioxidant enzyme activities in the heart indi cate cardiomyocytes's exposure to oxidative stress, which can be responsibl e for the cardiac lesions observed during hypomagnesemia.