L-Arginine is effective in scavenging Oxygen Derived Free Radicals in the patients of Ischemic Heart Diseases

Ischemic heart is a leading cause of death all over the world. Therapeutic role of L-arginine in overcoming the oxidative stress during myocardial ischemia is still not clear. In the present work, effect of L- arginine supplementation to the patients of acute myocardial infarction has been studied. Subjects were randomly divided into four groups: control, control with L-arginine supplementation, patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and patients with acute myocardial infarction with L-arginine supplementation. Subjects were given oral dose of L-Arg (3g/day) for fifteen days. Oxidative stress indices [Xanthine oxidase (XO) and malondialdehyde (MDA)] and antioxidant indices [Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total thiols (T-SH)] in the erythrocytes and serum cardiac markers CPK-MB and Troponin-T were monitored before and at the end of L-arginine therapy. L-arginine supplementation increased T-SH content significantly in treated patients (p<0.001). XO activity, upon L-arginine supplementation, decreased by 31% (p<0.005) in the patients. Also, we noted significant reduction in the levels of serum cardiac markers; CPK-MB and Troponin T in the AMI patients receiving L-arginine therapy (p<0.001)