Effect of Taurine Pre-treatment on Hematological Parameters in Isoproterenol Induced Myocardial Infarction in Albino Rats

Cardiovascular diseases form the major health concern in recent years, causing severe illness and death throughout the world. About 16.7 million people around the globe die of myocardial infarction every year (WHO 2004) which forms one third of global deaths. Clinically, taurine has been widely used in variety of conditions including cardiovasculardiseases, hypercholesterolemia, macular degeneration, Alzheimers disease, hepatic disorders, alcoholism and in cystic fibrosis. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of taurine pre treatment on hematological parameters in isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction in albino rats by demonstrating the hematological changes. Wistar male rats were randomly divided into four groups namely Control (G1), taurine (G2), isoproterenol (G3) and Isoproterenol + taurine (G4). Taurine treated group-received taurine (100mg/kg body wt) orally for 30 days. Myocardial infarction was induced in rats by isoproterenol administration (100mg/kg) subcutaneously (sc) at an interval of 24 hrs on 31 and 32 day. Hematological changes were assessed from 24 hrs after the last dose of isoproterenol. There was decrease in RBC count, WBC count, Platelet count, Hb%, Lymphocyte count, Eosinophil count and increase in Neutrophil count in G4 rats as compared to G3 rats. Taurine pretreatment preserved the changes to near normal. Taurine may provide cardioprotection under conditions of ischemia-reperfusion due to its antioxidant properties. It may prevent oxidant-mediated damage of the cardiomyocyte membrane and subsequent intracellular Ca overload.