In this study, S-allyl cysteine sulfoxide (SACS) was used to evaluate its preventive effect in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial ischemia in male Wistar rats. Rats were pretreated with SACS (40 and 80 mg kg(-1)) orally for 5 weeks. After the treatment period, ISO (150 mg kg(-1)) was administered subcutaneously to rats at an interval of 24 h for 2 days. The activities of beta-D-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucosidase, and acid phosphatase increased in serum and heart in ISO-induced rats. In addition, these rats showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the activities of beta-glucuronidase and cathepsin-D in serum and heart and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in their activities in lysosomal fraction of the heart. The activity of Na(+)K(+)-ATPase declined, while those of Ca(2+)- and Mg(2+)-ATPases significantly (p < 0.05) elevated in the heart of ISO-induced rats. Pretreatment with SACS (40 and 80 mg kg(-1)) showed a significant (p < 0.05) effect in all the biochemical parameters studied. The effect at a dose of 80 mg kg(-1) body weight was more effective than that at 40 mg kg(-1) body weight and brought back all the biochemical parameters to near normal levels. Hereby, our study shows the membrane-stabilizing as well as antioxidant effects of SACS in ISO-induced rats.