[Delta-opioid receptor agonists prevent the irreversible damage of cardiomyocytes in ischemized-reperfused isolated rat heart].

Pretreatment with selective delta-opioid receptor (delta-OR) agonists decreased the level of creatine kinase in the coronary effluent of isolated rat heart during a 45-min global ischemia and a 30-min reperfusion. The effect was completely abolished after pretreatment of the delta-OR antagonist nitrindole. At the same time, pretreatment with mu-OR antagonists did not affect the level of creatine kinase in the coronary effluent. It is suggested that stimulation of the cardiac delta-OR prevents the irreversible cardiac cell damage during global ischemia and reperfusion in vitro. In contrast, the cardiac mu-OR do not play any significant role in regulation of the cardiac resistance to the pathogenic action of ischemia and reperfusion.