AIMTo explore the protective effect of L-arginine on isolated rat heart with ischemia/reperfusion injury.

METHODS24 wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (each 8): control group, ischemia group, L-arginine group. The myocardiac relatively ischemia/reperfusion models in vitro were set up by using weak current stimulating isolated rat hearts. During the pre-ischemia, post-ischemia 15 min and post-ischemia 30 min, the coronary fluid was collected for testing contents of MDA and activities of both CK and LDH. Cardiac functional indexes were recorded through Pclab. At the time of 5 min, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min after ischemia, the recovery of PRP, + DP/dt(max) and - DP/dt(max) were calculated.

RESULTS(1) During the reperfusion, L-arginine group achieved better recovery of cardiac function than that of the ischemia group. (2) MDA content, CK and LDH activities both in the coronary fluid and in the myocardium of L-arginine group were lower than those of the ischemia group, while SOD activities in the myocardium of L-arginine group were higher than that of the ischemia group.

CONCLUSIONTo some extent, L-arginine could protect the myocardium from ischemia/reperfusion injury.