The protective effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-induced preconditioning on myocardial injury due to adriamycin was studied in the isolated perfused rat heart. Adriamycin (100 and 200 (mol / L) caused a gradual decrease in coronary flow (CF) and cardiac function (LVP and LV dp/dtmax), and an increase in the level of MDA. Pretreatment with CGRP at the concentration of 5 nmol/L for 5 min markedly reduced the attenuation of CF and cardiac function and inhibited the elevation of MDA content induced by adriamycin. The findings suggest that the pretreatment with CGRP possesses a protection against myocardial injury elicited by adriamycin. The present results also suggest that the protection of CGRP may be related to a reduction in lipid peroxidation.
