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Abstract

The study investigated the influence of L-carnitine on the formation of malondialdehyde, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, in isolated Langendorff rat hearts. Earlier investigations of hemodynamic parameters and the recovery of ATP and creatine phosphate, carried out by means of 31P-NMR spectroscopy, had demonstrated that, depending on the composition of the perfusates (content of glucose, fatty acids, and carnitine), quite strong differences may occur in the reperfusion period after ischemia. In order to determine a possible relationship between these differences and the addition of carnitine, the study investigated whether carnitine penetrated into the tissue during the experiments, and whether it was able to reduce the concentration of detrimental substances. The concentrations of free and total carnitine as well as the malondialdehyde content as an indicator of ischemia/reperfusion damage were determined in different parts of the cardiac tissue as follows: After the Langendorff-experiments the hearts were dissected, homogenized and reconditioned; then carnitine and malondialdehyde were determined. The study included 63 hearts, which were divided into 8 different perfusion groups. Carnitine concentrations in heart tissue perfused with L-carnitine were much higher than those of the controls. Since exogenous L-carnitine and formed esters could be found in the tissue after the experiment, they must have permeated the cellular membrane rapidly. The concentrations of malondialdehyde behaved in an inverted way; as expected they were lower in carnitine-perfused hearts. The favourable effects of L-carnitine, expressed both by improved cardiac dynamics and ATP and CrP recovery in the reperfusion period, are obviously due to the fact that L-carnitine reduces ischemic damage.

Ameliorative effects of l-carnitine on rats raised on a diet supplemented with lead acetate

“…The results are consistent with what has been reported indicating that dietary supplementation of l -carnitine reduced malondialdehyde levels and provided a protective effect in rats exposed to lead (Löster and Böhm, 2001, Geng et al, 2004, Shokrzadeh et al, 2013). l -Carnitine attenuated free radical induced oxidative stress under various pathological conditions (Gülçin, 2006).…”

Neuroprotective effects of L-carnitine against oxygen-glucose deprivation in rat primary cortical neurons

“…L-carnitine treatment is protective in vivo against strokes in rats and Alzheimer's disease in mice22,23) and displays a cardioprotective effect in rat ischemic hearts in vivo 19,26). Adult animal brain cells show limited neurogenesis, but fetal or newborn animal brain cells can grow easily in culture.…”