| Abstract: | The administration of hemin chloride in a dose of 1.5 mg/100 g of the body weight was found to cause accumulation of the total heme and TBA-reactive products in the rat blood serum and vessels. Pretreatment by N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (0.5 h before hemin chloride administration) did not affect the dynamics of the total heme and TBA-reacting products accumulation. The increase of heme oxygenase activity was observed in the vessels after hemin chloride administration. This effect was strengthened by N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine pretreatment. The changes of heme oxygenase activity and the total heme level in heart were not observed at any periods studied. The increase of the TBA-reactive products level in the heart after exogenous hemin injection was accompanied by an increase of nitrites content and blocked by pretreatment of NOS inhibitor. The N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine alone caused the accumulation of the total heme, TBA-reacting products and the increase of heme oxygenase activity in the vessels. The role of heme and NO in regulation of the heme oxygenase activity is discussed. |
