The Histological Effects of L-arginine on Ventricular Myocardium in Iron Treated Male Rats

Iron overload is detrimental for the body and can create damage to different body tissues, such as myocardium by producing oxidative stress. Therefore, the antioxidant factors can neutralize iron induced damages. According to available reports, L-arginine as a precursor nitric oxide production has antioxidant effects. This study was carried out to evaluate the histological effects of iron overload on ventricular muscle and preventive role of L-arginine in male rats. In this experiment, 40 male rats with weight range of 300-250g were divided at random into five equal groups including:1- Control, 2- Iron (10mg/kg, ip), 3- Iron(10mg/kg, ip)+L-arginine (1mg/ml, po), 4- Iron (50mg/kg, ip) and 5- Iron (50mg/kg,ip)+L-arginine(1mg/ml,po). After treatment (6 weeks), the animals were anesthetized and the samples of left apical ventricular myocardium were taken out and morphological studies were done following fixation with 10% formalin and H&E staining. Microscopic parameters under study were cell swelling, vessel dilatation and hypercongestion, cell necrosis and tissue deformity. The type and severity of damage to the tissue were also noted. Data were analyzed using chi-square statistical procedure, and Pvalue≤0.05 were considered to be significant. The data showed moderate changes in the ventricular myocardium of group 2 that was significant in comparison to the control group (P<0.05). The ventricular myocardium of group 3 showed low changes and wasnt significant in comparison to control group (P=0.84). The ventricular myocardium of the group 4 showed severe changes in comparison to the control group (P<0.01). The low change showed in the ventricular myocardium of group 5 that wasnt significant in comparison to the control group. This study showed that excess iron can cause unfavorable changes in myocardial tissue and L-arginine may reduce iron overload damage. Therefore, l-arginine can protect myocardial tissue against iron overload stress.