RESUMO
The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of N-acetylcysteine, on interleukin-6, superoxide dismutase activity, and protein kinase C activity in normal and diabetic rat hearts. Rats were divided into four groups eight rats each, control, control treated, diabetic, and diabetic treated groups. One week after induction of diabetes, N-acetylcysteine was administered to the control treated and diabetic treated groups in a dose of 1.5 g/kg daily for eight weeks by intragastric tube. The results of the present work showed that streptozotocin induced diabetes is associated with increased superoxide dismutase activity, interleukin-6 in plasma and cardiac tissue, and increased protein kinase CB2 activity in cardiac tissue. Further, diabetic rats exhibited cardiac hypertrophy indicated by increased heart to body weight and ventricular to body weight ratios. N-acetylcysteine treatment to diabetic rate causes significant decrease in all previous parameters also it significantly attenuate the increase in heart to body weight and ventricular to body weight ratios. These data support the hypothesis that the oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy and N-acetylcysteine an effective antioxidant have a beneficial effects in the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy