Myocardial electrical activity of Wistar rats after a course of methionine

Methionine is an essential sulfur-containing amino acid that plays a fundamental role in protein synthesis, detoxification and antioxidant protection of cells. Despite its high biological significance, the effects of methionine treatment on myocardial electrical activity remain poorly understood. Preclinical trials are necessary to objectively assess the safety of this amino acid. This article examines the effects of methionine treatment on cardiac electrical activity parameters. The study was conducted on two groups of 10-week-old Wistar rats weighing 258.0 ± 19.0 g: control (n=5) and experimental (n=5). The animals were housed in group cages under vivarium conditions. Rats in the experimental group received methionine at a dose of 6 mg/kg body weight in drinking water for 30 days. The effect of the drug on myocardial function was assessed using electrocardiography in standard lead II using a Medinova ECG-9801 electrocardiograph at a recording speed of 50 mm/s. Analysis of the electrocardiograms revealed that all animals in the experimental and control groups maintained a stable sinus rhythm with no signs of arrhythmia or conduction disturbances. A comparative analysis of temporal and amplitude characteristics (P wave, PR and ST segments, QRS complex, QT interval) revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups. Deviations in the studied parameters in the experimental group did not exceed 6.2% of the control values. These data demonstrate the cardiac safety of a course of methionine at a dose of 6 mg/ kg body weight, paving the way for further extended studies aimed at possible extrapolation of the data to the human body and an assessment of the antioxidant potential of this amino acid.