The aim of the present work was to develop a qualitative chronopathological study concerning abnormalities in myocardium, due to nitric oxide (NO) blockage. We used 60 Wistar normotensive young male rats from several breeds. Groups of rats were submitted to L-Name (L) via oral administration dissolved in water (750mg/l) during days 4, 14 and 28. Other groups were submitted concomitantly to L-Name and hydralazine hydrocloride (L + H) (120mg/l). On days 4 and 14 (L group) we have found myocardial abnormalities and lesions while in L + H we could not identify abnormalities. Considering L group on day 28, the myocardium presented characteristic fibrosis (reactive and reparative), vascular damage with increasing wall thickness due mainly to proliferation of the arterial smooth muscle cell. Total obliteration of vessels was noted only in this period. We also observed reactive fibrosis between muscle cells of the vascular wall and proliferation of cells in the intimal layer. In L + H (day 28), similar vascular abnormalities described for L group (less frequent and less apparent) were also observed. In L + H we did not identify total vascular obstructions. In L + H, infarct areas were not observed. Control groups did not present any abnormalities. Our results support the idea that, at least in some cases, hypertrophy vascular abnormalities and myocardial lesions in arterial hypertension can occur because of the reduction in organic nitric oxide production. Our results also suggested that these morbid processes can be postponed by the use of hydralazine which, however, does not avoid abnormalities after long-term experimental blockage of NO.
Nitric oxide; L-Name; Arterial hypertension; Cardiac hypertrophy; Heart morphology; Cardiomyopathy; Arteriosclerosis
