title: Behaviour of energy metabolites and effect of allopurinol in the "stunned" isovolumic rat heart.
abstract: The pathogenesis of post-ischaemic depression of contractility in myocardium was examined in isovolumic rat heart. 31P-NMR was used to monitor changes in ATP, creatine phosphate (CrP), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and [H+] during brief periods of ischaemia and reperfusion with and without allopurinol treatment. During 5, 10, or 15 min of total global ischaemia, the decline in function (rate-pressure product) correlated inversely with [Pi] (r = 0.92, P less than 0.01). Cardiac function exhibited a slow progressive recovery during 20 min of reperfusion, ultimately reaching only 85%, 78%, and 69% of its pre-ischaemic value following 5, 10, and 15 min of global ischaemia respectively. Following each ischaemic period [ATP], [CrP], [Pi], and [H+] all recovered to control levels within 5-10 min of initiating reperfusion. Allopurinol (2 mM) treatment of hearts made ischaemic for 15 min significantly improved contractile recovery to 89 +/- 7%. Allopurinol also exhibited significant anti-arrhythmic activity during the reperfusion period, decreasing the incidence of premature contractions and the duration of tachy-arrhythmias. Allopurinol had no effect on the final repletion of [ATP] and [CrP], or the recovery of [Pi] and [H+], although the rate of ATP repletion was elevated in the initial 5 min of reperfusion. These results show that neither depletion of the cytosolic high-energy phosphate pool, nor sustained elevations in [Pi] or [H+] are important in the production of post-ischaemic contractile impairment. The beneficial action of allopurinol suggests that xanthine oxidase derived oxygen free-radicals may be involved in the sustained contractile dysfunction following brief ischaemic episodes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Science and Technology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Headrick
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Armiger
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Willis
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D010725:Phosphocreatine; D000493:Allopurinol; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate