This study investigated the protective effect of vincristine (VCR) on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac necrosis (CN) in rats. Animals (n=7 in each group) were pretreated with vincristine (25µg/kg) intraperitoneal (i.p.) daily in 5-day cycles with 2 days pause between cycles using a 5-day-on, 2-day-off schedule for two weeks and then intoxicated with isoproterenol (100mg/kg, s.c., for 2 consecutive days). ISO-induced myocardial damage was indicated by changes in electrocardiographic (ECG) patterns, increased activities of marker enzymes such as creatine kinase-MB, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase and the levels of troponin-T in the serum. The levels of lipid peroxide products, (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxides (HP)) were increased with a parallel decrease in the activities of antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and reduced glutathione) in ISO-induced rats. Furthermore, ISO-induced rats showed increase in the activities of membrane bound enzymes such as Ca(2+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase with a decreased activity of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining of the heart section showed increased area of necrosis in ISO-induced rats. Pretreatment with VCR (25µg/kg) eliminated all ISO-induced biochemical and histopathological changes, and decreased the myocardial necrosis to a greater extent. Transmission electron microscopic findings on the structure of the heart mitochondria confirmed the protective effects of VCR. Present study provides first scientific report on protective effect of vincristine against ISO-induced cardiac damage in rats.