The role of ischemia itself, calcium overload and of reactive oxygen species (ROC) in reperfusion injury of the heart was characterized from the physiological, biochemical and morphological point of view. Experiments were performed on isolated rat hearts (Langndorff preparation), perfused at constant pressure of 65 Torr and 37 degrees C. The effect of ischemia was studied on the model of 30 min normothermic global ischemia with consequent 30 min reperfusion. Calcium overload and damage by ROS were modelled by Ca(2+)-paradox (3 min Ca(2+)-depletion followed by 10 min Ca(2+)-repletion) and by intraaortal bolus application of ROS-generating system (H2O2 + FeSO4) respectively. Evaluation of functional and biochemical parameters revealed that the changes in electrical activity, accumulation of lactate and the loss in total adenine nucleotides content in heart tissue may be well applied to characterize the participation of the above mechanisms on total reperfusion damage to the heart. Histochemically detected different patterns of distribution of enzyme activities also allow to distinguish between alterations caused by different factors of reperfusion injury.