N-acetylcysteine Plus Deferoxamine Improves Cardiac Function in Wistar Rats After Non-reperfused Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

The antioxidant N-acetycysteine can turn into a prooxidant molecule in presence of iron ions. Thus, our goal was to test if the association of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and an iron chelator (deferoxamine--DFX) in a rodent model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) improves cardiac function. Male Wistar rats were subjected to a SHAM surgery or AMI. The animals were randomized: vehicle, NAC (25 mg/kg for 28 days), DFX (40 mg/kg for 7 days), or NAC plus DFX (NAC plus DFX, respectively). Animals were killed 28 days after the AMI. Animals treated with NAC/DFX showed an increase in left ventricular ejection fraction at 28 days when compared with vehicle group (45.2 ± 10.9 % vs. 34.7 ± 8.7 %, p = 0.03). Antioxidant effect of NAC/DFX treatment decreased 4-hydroxynonenal when compared to AMI group (p = 0.06). In conclusion, we showed beneficial effect of NAC/DFX association in improving left ventricle function in an experimental AMI.