Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of probucol on ischemia-reperfusion injury in the isolated working rat heart.
Design: Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: one was fed normal chow (group C) and the other was fed chow containing 1% probucol for four weeks (group P). Samples of heart organ and blood were then taken under anesthesia. Isolated hearts were perfused in a working heart model. After 5 mins of perfusion in aerobic conditions, global ischemia was induced for 15 mins, the hearts were then reperfused. Aortic and coronary flow, cardiac function and electrocardiogram were monitored throughout the experiment, including a 20 min period of reperfusion. Serum lipids and lipid peroxide were also measured in each rat.
Results: Rats in group P (probucol-treated) had significantly lower levels of serum cholesterol, triglyceride and phospholipid than those in group C (controls). Serum lipid peroxide was also significantly lower in group P than in group C rats (P < 0.05). The incidence of ventricular arrhythmias in the ischemia and reperfusion stages was lower in group P than in group C (P < 0.001) and the increase in coronary flow during the reperfusion stage was greater in isolated hearts of group P rats than in those of group C (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Probucol may have a protective effect on myocardium with respect to ischemia-reperfusion arrhythmia in the isolated rat heart, presumably due to an antioxidative effect.