Aging is associated with alterations in cardiovascular system and changes in several organs and tissues. The aging theory postulates that this process may be due to the accumulation of oxidative damage and inflammatory processes in cells and molecules (1-4). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aging on different physiological parameters related to inflammation and oxidative stress in hearts from male senescence-accelerated mice (SAMP-8) and the influence of chronic administration of Growth Hormone (GH) on these animals, whose endogenous production is reduced by age (5). Thirteen old male mice of 10 months of age were used. Animals were divided into two experimental groups, one group that was treated with GH (2 mg/kg/day/subcutaneous). The second was treated with saline, and acted as the old control group. After 30 days of treatment, mice were sacrificed by decapitation, and hearts were collected. A group of six 2-months-old male mice was used as young controls. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 10 (IL-10), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), were determined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results were submitted to a two way ANOVA statistical evaluation using the STATGRAPHICS program. Inflammation as well as oxidative stress in the heart were increased in the old SAMP-8 males. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1), were significantly increased and anti-inflammatory IL-10 decreased in those animals (p<0.05). Increased age also diminished the levels of eNOS (p<0.05). Exogenous GH administration reverted the inflammatory status and recovered the levels of eNOS present in the young mice (p<0.05). In relation to expression of iNOS, no significant differences were found in it. Our results suggest that the inflammatory process could play an important role in the secondary cardiovascular alterations associated with aging and that GH may play a potential protective effect on the cardiovascular system during this period.