Effect of nitric oxide in preventing myocardial dysfunction following relative ischemia/ reperfusion in the rat isolated heart

• Published in: Zhongguo ying yong sheng li xue za zhi Vol. 17; no. 4; p. 370
• Main Authors: Guo, B S, Liu, H T, Dou, L J, Wang, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.11.2001
• Subjects: Animals; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury - metabolism; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury - physiopathology; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Ventricular Function, Left
• ISSN: 1000-6834

The protective effect of L-arginine on relative ischemia/reperfusion-induced myocardial injury was investigated in the rat isolated langendorff perfused heart. Four groups of hearts subjected to 20 min electric stimulus and 40 min reperfusion received vehicle, L-arginine, N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and only stimulus respectively. The recovery of left ventricular developed pressure and pressure-rate product at the end of reperfusion was significantly higher in the L-arginine group (89.04% +/- 2.46% and 72.16% +/- 4.40%, respectively) than in the vehicle group (64.74% +/- 7.67% and 44.57% +/- 6.89%, respectively, P < 0.05). It is suggested that N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester inhibits the recovery of the heart function after ischemia and accelerates the myocardial injury. We propose that it is important to protect the integrity of the heart angioendothelium during ischemia/reperfusion, and promote the synthesis of NO to relieve the myocardial injury and consequently accelerate the recovery of