Processes linked to the formation of reactive oxygen species are not necessarily involved in the development of isoproterenol-induced hypertrophy of the heart. The effect of stobadine.

Administration of stobadine, a cardioprotective substance in investigation prevents a decrease in the content of protein SH groups and glutathione in hearts of rats treated with high doses of isoproterenol (ISO) (30 mg/kg). Moreover, stobadine also attenuated the increase in the content of malondialdehyde and activities of catalase and glutathione reductase as well as a diminution in the GSH/GSSG ratio observed in heart mitochondria isolated from ISO-treated animals. Since stobadine may be considered as a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the above effects of the latter substance support the assumption about a possible involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in some processes initiated by administration of ISO in doses inducing cardiac hypertrophy. However our results also indicate that ROS-mediated processes are not necessarily involved in the mechanism of induction of cardiac hypertrophy itself.