title: Effects of propionyl-L-carnitine on cardiac dysfunction in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.
abstract: The effects of orally administered propionyl-L-carnitine on cardiac dysfunction in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes were investigated. Wistar male rats were divided into four groups: untreated normal, propionyl-L-carnitine (daily for 4 weeks with 3 g/kg orally) -treated normal, untreated diabetic, propionyl-L-carnitine-treated diabetic. Four weeks after streptozotocin administration, plasma lipid levels were increased and myocardial carnitine content was decreased in untreated diabetic rats. These changes were significantly reversed by the propionyl-L-carnitine treatment. Assessment of cardiac function with isolated perfused working hearts revealed a depression of left ventricular developed pressure as well as both maximum positive and negative dP/dt in untreated diabetic as compared with that in normal hearts. Cardiac function at the higher left atrial filling pressures in the propionyl-L-carnitine-treated diabetic rats was improved significantly compared to that in untreated hearts. The data thus suggest that oral administration of propionyl-L-carnitine can reduce abnormalities of cardiac function, correlated with a significant increase in myocardial carnitine content and improved lipid metabolism in terms of lowered plasma lipids.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hotta
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D008055:Lipids; C003223:propionylcarnitine; D002331:Carnitine