Cardioprotective effect of coconut kernel protein in isoproterenol administered rats.

Male albino rats were given subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (10 mg/100 g body wt) twice at an interval of 24 hr to induce myocardial infarction. The rats showed massive myocardial necrosis and increased activities of creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), in serum, while a decrease in nitric oxide synthase activity and lower levels of palmitate oxidation into CO2 and ATP were observed in the heart. Rats pre-treated with coconut protein or L-arginine showed significantly decreased CPK, GOT and GPT activities in the serum. There was significantly higher nitric oxide synthase activity and higher rate of palmitate oxidation into CO2 and increased levels of ATP in the heart in these groups. These observations indicate the cardioprotective effect of coconut protein, which may be attributed to the high content of L-arginine present in it.