Effect of alpha-tocopherol on mitochondrial electron transport in experimental myocardial infarction in rats.

The effect of alpha-tocopherol pretreatment (6 mg/100 g body wt/day, orally for a period of 90 days) on mitochondrial electron transport in myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol (20 mg/100 g body wt, subcutaneously for two days) was studied in rats. A significant decrease was observed in the activities of isocitrate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase in heart mitochondria of isoproterenol administered rats. The cytochrome content and the oxidation of succinate in state 3 and state 4 decreased significantly in the cardiac mitochondria treatment. In alpha-tocopherol pretreated rats, the activities of TCA cycle enzymes, concentration of cytochromes and the oxidation of succinate in state 3 and state 4 were retained at near normal values, following isoproterenol administration.