Protection against oxygen-induced reperfusion injury of the isolated canine heart by superoxide dismutase and catalase.

While oxygen-derived free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of myocardial injury, the exact nature of this injury is still unclear. To test the hypothesis that oxygen-induced injury may influence the recovery of cardiac function from ischemic damage, we used an oxygen free radical scavenger, superoxide dismutase (SOD), together with catalase, during the reperfusion of isolated canine heart which had been subjected to 15 min of normothermic ischemic arrest followed by 2 hr of hypothermic cardioplegic preservation using a modified Collins solution. Determinations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and coenzyme Q10 within the myocardium showed that the treatment with SOD and catalase was capable of inhibiting lipid peroxidation induced by reperfusion. This inhibition was apparently associated with the improvement of myocardial energy metabolism and cardiac performance. Coronary flow was significantly higher in the heart treated with SOD and catalase during the working stage with a corresponding increase in oxygen consumption. Myocardial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was partially, but significantly restored during reperfusion in these hearts whereas no restoration was observed in the heart without the enzymes. The treatment with SOD and catalase also improved left ventricular stroke work index and left ventricular maximum dp/dt at an early stage of the working mode. These results suggest that the use of SOD and catalase during reperfusion can protect the ischemic heart against reperfusion injury by scavenging oxygen-derived free radicals.