Effect of nitrendipine, nimodipine and nisoldipine on experimentally induced myocardial infarction in rats.

Cardiac necrosis was produced in rats by administering isoproterenol sulphate (85 mg/kg, sc for 4 days). The myocardial damage was proved by observing the elevated levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase, ++alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase and the changes were confirmed by his topathology. Nitrendipine, nimodipine and nisoldipine (10 mg/kg, ip) significantly reduced the elevated levels of these enzymes. The average degree of cardiac necrosis in these rats when observed microscopically and histologically was also found to be significantly reduced on pretreatment with these drugs. Nisoldipine was more effective in preventing cardiac necrosis as compared to nitrendipine and nimodipine.