Prevention of postischemic reperfusion damage on isolated working rat hearts by bopindolol and propranolol

Reperfusion after 30-min regional or global ischemia of the isolated working rat hearts did not restore the cardiac functions (as measured by cardiac output and power production), but exacerbated the existing damages. The lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) in the regional and global ischemic-reperfused myocardium increased by 37.6 and 45.2%, respectively. Bopindolol 0.1 mumol/L and propranolol 10 mumols/L protected the myocardium against the postischemic reperfusion damages, accelerated the recovery of cardiac functions during reperfusion and decreased the MDA content in the ischemic-reperfused myocardium. It is postulated that the prevention of cardiac cells from lipid peroxidation injury is related to the protection afforded by the drugs to the ischemic-reperfused hearts.