S-allylcysteine ameliorates isoproterenol-induced cardiac toxicity in rats by stabilizing cardiac mitochondrial and lysosomal enzymes

This study was aimed to evaluate the preventive role of S-allylcysteine (SAC) on mitochondrial and lysosomal enzymes in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced rats. Male albino Wistar rats were pretreated with SAC (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) daily for a period of 45 days. After the treatment period, ISO (150 mg/kg) was subcutaneously injected to rats at an interval of 24 h for two days. The activities of heart mitochondrial enzymes (isocitrate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase) and respiratory chain enzymes (NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome C oxidase) were decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in ISO-induced rats. The activities of lysosomal enzymes (β-glucuronidase, β-N-acetyl glucosaminidase, β-galactosidase, cathepsin-D and acid phosphatase) were increased significantly (p < 0.05) in serum and heart of ISO-induced rats. Pretreatment with SAC (100 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg) for a period of 45 days increased significantly (p < 0.05) the activities of mitochondrial and respiratory chain enzymes and decreased the activities of lysosomal enzymes significantly (p < 0.05) in ISO-induced rats. Oral administration of SAC (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) for a period of 45 days to normal rats did not show any significant (p < 0.05) effect in all the parameters studied. The altered electrocardiogram (ECG) of ISO-treated rats was also restored to near normal by treatment with SAC (100 and 150 mg/kg). These results confirm the efficacy of SAC in alleviating ISO-induced cardiac damage.