The effects of ulinastatin on cardiac and hepatic energy metabolism in rats subjected to hypovolemic shock.

Ulinastatin is a trypsin inhibitor extracted from human urine. In this study the effects of ulinastatin on myocardial and hepatic tissue concentrations of creatine phosphate (CP), ATP, ADP, AMP, lactate, pyruvate, and glycogen have been investigated in rats which were in hemorrhagic shock state. Hypovolemia was induced by bleeding from the femoral artery, and systolic blood pressure was maintained 40 mmHg for 25 min, then ulinastatin 50,000 units.kg(-1) in saline or saline vehicle was intravenously administered. Thereafter the heart and liver were extirpated and frozen quickly with liquid nitrogen. The tissue concentrations of CP, ATP, ADP, AMP, lactate and glycogen were measured enzymatically. Systolic blood pressure elevated significantly after ulinastatin administration. The myocardial tissue CP level was higher in ulinastatin-treated group than that of control group, whereas no significant difference in energy charge between two groups. The hepatic tissue level of AMP, lactate and L/P ratio was lower in ulinastatin-treated group than that of control group, however, no significant difference was found in hepatic tissue level of ATP, ADP and energy charge. From these results it is concluded that ulinastatin can improve the energy metabolism of myocardium to some extent, but not of the liver in rats with hypovolemic shock.