Trimetazidine, a Metabolic Modulator, with Cardioprotective Effects Against Myocardial Ischemia

Metabolic therapy constitutes a relatively new therapeutic option for ischemic heart disease (IHD). Metabolic agents including Trimetazidine [1-(2,3,4-trimethoxybenzyl) piperazine] (TMZ) are currently used as anti-ischemic cardiac drugs to alleviate this internal metabolic disturbance. The present study focused on the assessment of the beneficial effects of TMZ as additional medication to the conventional medical therapy in patients with myocardial infarction. The obtained results showed an increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and a faster normalization of total sialic acid (TSA) levels in patients with TMZ add-on therapy, in comparison to the control group, indicating a stabilization of the ischemic process under TMZ therapy, with decreased free radical production and restoration of the antioxidant capacity and of the membrane lesions. The present findings emphasize the importance of TMZ administration to prevent reperfusion-mediated cardiac injury and dysfunction and demonstrate that this promising therapeutic approach is worthy of further research.