[The effect of L-arginine on the microcirculation reperfusion of cremaster muscle in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of L-arginine and the role of nitric oxide (NO) on the microcirculation of cremaster muscle after the ischemia-reperfusion.


METHODS
A group of male Sprague-Dawley rats, each weighing 180-220 g, were surgically prepared with the neurovascular bundle freed only to connect to the cremaster muscle, subjected to 5 hours warm ischemia and 2 hours of reperfusion, and treated with L-arginine. The microcirculation was observed with the measurement of the arteriole in diameter under intravital microscopy.


RESULTS
1. The arteriole re-flowing with the L-arginine treatment was significantly higher than the saline control with only 53% in 30 minutes after the reperfusion (P < 0.01). 2. The diameter of the reflowed arteriole and the perfused capillary density were increasing greatly with the L-arginine treatment, compared to the control group. 3. The pathological phenomena of "only irrigation and no reflow" was observed in local muscle microcirculation, which subsequently resulted in the large-scale leakage hemorrhage.


CONCLUSIONS
The nitric oxide product could relieve the vasospasm and decrease the no-reflow of skeletal muscular during reperfusion; The venular no-reflow resulted from venular thrombi may play an important part during the tissue reperfusion injury.
Li
J
J
Department of Plastic Surgery, Changhai Hospital of Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Guo
E
E
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine