title: Ascorbic acid mitigates the myocardial injury after cardiac arrest and electrical shock.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of ascorbic acid (AA) administrated during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the myocardial injury in a rat model of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and electrical shock (ES).
  
  
  METHODS
  VF was induced in male Wistar rats and left untreated for 5 min, followed by 1 min of CPR, and then one ES of 5 J. At the start of CPR, animals received either intravenous administration of AA (100 mg/kg) or Tempol (30 mg/kg), two antioxidants, or 0.9% saline (VF + ES group). After ES, animals were immediately killed. Myocardial lipoxidation was determined by malondialdehyde (MDA) assay. The histology and ultrastructural changes of myocardium were also evaluated. The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening was measured based on the mitochondrial swelling rate. The complex activities and respiration of mitochondria were assessed, too.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased myocardial injury and mitochondrial damage in the VF + ES group were noted. AA and Tempol alleviated such damages. Both AA and Tempol improved accelerated mitochondrial swelling; decreased complex activities and respiratory dysfunction occurred in the VF + ES group. The animals receiving AA and Tempol during CPR had better successful resuscitation rates and 72-h survival than the VF + ES group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravenous administration of AA and Tempol at the start of CPR may reduce lipid peroxidation and myocardial necrosis, diminish mitochondrial damage, facilitate resuscitation, and improve outcomes after VF + ES.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-Shan S. Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Min-Shan
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chien-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chia-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Huei-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hsin-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hsaio-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Chiung-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Tzung-Dau
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei-Tien
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Wen-Jone
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013624:Taiwan; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid