Protective effects of resveratrol in ischemia-reperfusion injury of skeletal muscle: A clinically relevant animal model for lower extremity ischemia.

Ischemia and reperfusion injury of the skeletal muscle is a common and serious condition observed in patients admitting to peripheral vascular surgery, interventional radiology and cardiology departments. Resveratrol (RVT) being a strong natural antioxidant is found in deal of red wine and Mediterranean diet. In the present study, male Spraque-Dawley rats were randomized into two groups of equal size. The first group was the control group, and these rats were administered with tap water with a gastric tube for fourteen consecutive days once daily. According to the same protocol, the rats in the second group were treated with tap water containing 20 mg/kg RVT. All the rats in the two groups were subjected to acute hind limb ischemia through clamping of the abdominal aorta for 120 min. Following this procedure, 60 minutes of reperfusion was applied by reestablishing blood flow in both iliac arteries. Ischemic damage in the skeletal muscle tissue was assessed by measuring myoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine phosphokinase, aspartate transaminase enzymes in venous blood samples obtained at the end of the reperfusion period. Oxidative stress caused by reperfusion was determined by measuring MDA, carbonyl and protein sulphydryl levels in quadriceps muscle tissue retrieved at the end of the experiment. In Group II rats, all the measured ischemic enzymes and the markers of oxidative stress reflected robust anti-ischemic properties obtained by RVT administration. The data from both groups revealed statistically significant protection against acute skeletal muscle ischemia and reperfusion injury in Group II rats, compared to Group I. As a major dietary flavonoid RVT can protect the skeletal muscle tissue against global ischemia and reperfusion injury because of its strong antioxidant and cytoprotective properties.