Abstract: Objective This study aimed to investigate the cardioprotection of trimetazidine and/or rosuvastatin in rats with myocardial infarction (MI). Method MI was introduced to SD rats by ligating the left anterior descending coronary. Rats were randomly assigned into following groups: sham group, Mi group, trimetazidine (T) + MI group, rosuvastatin (R) + MI group and T + R + MI group. After treatment for 14 days, all groups' hemodynamic parameters were measured. Apoptosis index (AI) were detected by TUNEL staining. The myocardial infarction area was measured by Evans/TTC staining. The expression of bcl-2 and bax was determined by western blot assay. Results When compared with sham group, the LVSP, dP/dTmax and dP/dTmin of MI rats significantly reduced (P<0.01), but LVEDP markedly increased (P<0.01). When compared with the MI group, the LVSP, dP/dTmax and dP/dTmin in the T + MI group, R + MI group and T + R + MI group significantly increased, and the LVEDP dramatically reduced (P<0.05). The apoptosis index in the MI group significantly increased accompanied by marked increase in the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax, especially the Bax when compared with sham group. After treatment with T and R, the apoptosis index reduced and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax decreased significantly, mainly the Bax. The above changes were the most evident in the T+R+MI group. Conclusion Treatment with T and/or R can improve the heart function of MI rats, which may be attributed to the reduction in the apoptosis index and decrease in the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in the myocardium. The cardioprotection is the most obvious after treatment with T and R suggesting the synergistic effect.

Key words: myocardial infarction, apoptosis, trimetazidine, rosuvastatin