RESUMO
Aim To examine the role of antioxidant effect of subhypotensive dose of ACE inhibitor ramipril in its anti hypertrophic effect in rat myocardium. METHODS Model of hypertension induced myocardial hypertrophy of rat was reproduced by coarctation of abdominal aorta. The effects of nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor N L arginine (6 mg?kg -1 ?d -1 ) and Vitamin E(200 U?d -1 ) on cardiac hypertrophy were examined. The change of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and NO production (assayed as NO 2 -) were monitored. RESULTS The myocardial hypertrophy was effectively prevented under hypertensive condition after treatment with ramipril for 8 week, while SOD activity and NO 2 - content were significantly increased and lipid peroxidation was significantly attenuated. Vitamin E enhanced ramipril effect and N L arginine reversed its benficail effects. CONCLUSION These data showed that sub hypotensive dose of ramipril and in combination with vitamin E enhances myocardial antioxidative capability and NO release, which plays an important role in the mechanism of action involved in their antihypertensive cardiac hypertrophic effects.
