[Changes in myocardium, skeletal muscle and liver of rats fed carnitine-deficient diet and treated with carnitine optical isomers]

Morfologiia. 2006;129(3):48-52.
[Article in Russian]

Abstract

The aim of the present study was a comparative assessment of L-, D-and DL-carnitine effect on morphometric and histological parameters of myocardium, skeletal muscles (m. gastrocnemius) and liver in 60 rats fed carnitine-deficient diet. Carnitine-deficient diet fed 2 months resulted in a substantial reduction of carnitine concentration in blood plasma of rats. In carnitine-deficient animals, lipid vacuoles were found to accumulate within the hepatocytes in all the zones of hepatic lobules, which mainly had the character of micro- and macrovesicular steatosis. This was accompanied by a reduction of skeletal muscle fiber and cardiomyocyte average thickness. L-carnitine administration resulted in the compensation of carnitine deficiency in animals with alimentary carnitine deficient state, while the racemate and D-stereoisomere did not affect its content in blood. Pharmacological correction of carnitine deficiency with L-carnitine prevented the development of liver fatty dystrophy to a greater degree, than the administration of other carnitine stereoisomeres and promoted the restoration of muscular fiber thickness of skeletal muscles. DL-carnitine administration was accompanied by a moderate correction of fatty dystrophy and did not prevent the development of skeletal muscles atrophy. D-carnitine stereoisomere did not prevent liver fatty dystrophy, but it reduced its severity. Correction of carnitine deficiency with D- stereoisomere was not accompanied by essential morphological and morphometric differences in degree of skeletal muscle atrophy.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Atrophy
  • Carnitine / chemistry
  • Carnitine / deficiency*
  • Carnitine / pharmacology
  • Diet
  • Fatty Liver / chemically induced
  • Fatty Liver / pathology
  • Fatty Liver / prevention & control
  • Liver / drug effects*
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver / ultrastructure
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / drug effects*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / ultrastructure
  • Myocardium / pathology*
  • Rats
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • Carnitine