title: Neuroprotective antioxidant STAZN protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Protecting the myocardium from ischemia-reperfusion injury has significant potential to reduce the complications of myocardial infarction and interventional revascularization procedures. Reperfusion damage is thought to result, in part, from oxidative stress. Here we use a novel method of percutaneous coronary occlusion to show that the potent antioxidant and neuroprotective free-radical scavenger, stilbazulenyl nitrone (STAZN), confers marked cardioprotection when given immediately prior to reperfusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Physiologically controlled male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with isoflurane, paralyzed with pancuronium and mechanically ventilated. A guide wire was introduced via the femoral artery and advanced retrogradely via the aorta into the left coronary artery under fluoroscopic guidance. Rats with established coronary ischemia (85 min after occlusion) were given STAZN 3.5 mg/kg or its vehicle 5 min before and 2 h after reperfusion, and were subjected to functional and histopathologic studies at 3 days. Ischemia-associated Q wave amplitude was reduced by 73% in STAZN-treated rats (P=0.01), while infarct-related ejection fraction, fractional shortening and severe regional wall-motion impairments were improved by 48%, 54% and 37%, respectively, relative to vehicle-treated controls (P=0.05). Total myocardial infarct volume in STAZN-treated rats was correspondingly reduced by 43% (P<0.05), representing a sparing of 14% of the total left ventricular myocardium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  STAZN, a second-generation azulenyl nitrone with potent neuroprotective efficacy in brain ischemia, is also a rapidly acting and highly effective cardioprotective agent in acute coronary ischemia. Our results suggest the potential for clinical benefit in the setting of acute coronary syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, United States.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ley
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: Jian Qin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Nanette H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Bishopric
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Myron D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C459743:stilbazulenyl nitrone