Enalapril and myocardial protection from stress by cold

PURPOSE: To evaluate the myocardial protective effect of enalaprilat in rats submitted to stress by cold. METHODS: Fifteen adults, male rats were studied. They were allocated into four groups: group A received unrestricted diet + intraperitoneal (IP) diluent; group B: unrestricted diet + IP enalaprilat 1.0 mg/kg; group C: high salt diet (HD) for seven days + IP indomethacin 1.0 mg/kg and group D received high salt diet for seven days + IP indomethacin 1.0 mg/kg + IP enalaprilat 1.0 mg/kg. Three animals were the control group. The animals of the groups A, B, C and D were then submitted to stress by cold. Fragments of the left ventricle were obtained for electron microscopy and the occurrence of mitochondrial lysis or preservation of the mitochondrial ultrastructure were considered as parameter for myocardial protective effect evaluation. RESULTS: Crystolysis (partial or total) was observed in 16.2% group A; 19.5% of group C; 3.2% of group B and in 8.8% of group D. CONCLUSION: Enalaprilat protects the cardiomyocyte from the stress by cold.