Pretreatment of Nicorandil Protects the Heart from Exhaustive Exercise-Induced Myocardial Injury in Rats

Figure 2

Examples of electron micrograph. In comparison with the CON group (a), the ultrastructure in the EE group (b) showed widespread mitochondrial damage, with severe disturbance in the mitochondrial crista arrangement, loss of mitochondrial matrix substance, the presence of intramitochondrial vacuoles, and disruption of the mitochondrial membrane. On the contrary, the ultrastructure of myocardial cells of EP and nicorandil pretreated rats (c–f) was well preserved with only a few cells being slightly damaged. In the NM + EP group (g), the cristae were largely intact, some cristae were flocculent, and the damage was insignificant.

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