THE EFFECTS OF TAURINE ON PERFUSED HEART-MUSCLE MALONDIALDEHYDE LEVELS

1. Taurine is found as a free amino acid in plasma and many tissues such as heart, muscle, brain and blood. Its exact role is not fully defined but it appears to have an important effect on the function of the heart. 2. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of taurine (10(-3) M and 10(-2) M) on malondialdehyde levels in perfused heart muscle. 3. In this study we found that administrated taurine before anoxia and reperfusion increased the malondialdehyde levels but administrated taurine after anoxia decreased the malondialdehyde levels in perfused heart muscle compared to the taurine administrated group before anoxia. 4. Anoxia did not change the perfused heart muscle malondialdehyde levels.