Several researchers studied the protective effect of the N-acetylcysteine (NAC) when it was given before the induction of myocardial infarction (MI). Other researchers studied such protective effect when it was before done and after done of the MI. The missing data are the comparison between the protective effect of NAC before myocardial injury with its protective effect both before and after myocardial injury. The aim of the study was to compare the cardioprotective effect of NAC on the isoprenaline-induced myocardial injury before the isoprenaline (ISP) injection with its protective effect both before and after the ISP injection. This study was applied over both short and long time periods. A total of 90 male adult Wistar albino rats were used in the study. The rats were divided into four groups: control group, ISP-treated group, NAC-pretreated group and NAC-pre-& posttreated group. Based on the duration of the experiment, the second and third groups were further subdivided into a and b groups. Histological, immunohistochemical and histomorphometric analysis were used. The myocytes in the ISP-treated groups were fragmented, disrupted with karyolysis. The blood vessels were dilated, congested and associated with blood extravasation, interstitial edema and cellular inflammatory infiltration. Much improvement was observed in the NAC-pretreated group. Focal degeneration was detected in the muscle fibers. The capillaries were normal. Minimal blood extravasation and cellular infiltration were seen. The cardiac muscle fibers in the NAC-pre-& posttreated group were regularly arranged. The mean collagen fiber area percent of the ISP-treated groups was significantly higher by 8.3-folds and 10.1-folds as compared with that of the control group and was also higher by 5.5-folds and 6.8-folds as compared with that of the NAC-pre-&posttreated groups. The α-SMA area percent in the ISP-treated groups was significantly higher by 12.2-folds and 23.9-folds as compared with that of the control group and was higher by 7.5-folds and 15-folds as compared with that of the NAC-pre-& posttreated groups. The mean PCNA area percent of the ISP-treated groups was significantly higher by 126.2 and 164.8% as compared with that of the control group and was higher by 106.3 and 141.5% as compared with that of NAC-pre-& posttreated groups. ISP had deleterious effects on the heart. Administration of NAC before ISP injection could largely reduce the ISP-induced short- and long-term alterations. The protection was maximum with the use of NAC before the ISP injection and continued after the injection for 12 days.
Keywords: Myocardial Injury; N-Acetylcysteine; Rats.