Iloprost for the attenuation of ischaemia/reperfusion injury in a distant organ

The objective of this study was to investigate antioxidant and cytoprotective properties of iloprost in a distant organ after ischaemia reperfusion injury. Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups. After application of anesthaesia both hindlimbs were occluded. A 2-h reperfusion procedure was carried out after 60 min of ischemia. Study group (STU) rats (n = 10) received 10 mu g kg(-1) iloprost in 1 ml of saline from the tail vein 10 min before reperfusion. Control (CON) group rats (n = 10) received an equal amount of saline. The rats were sacrificed by injection of a high dose of thiopentone sodium. Blood and tissue samples (right kidneys) were taken for analysis. Differences in malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), Na+-K+ ATPase and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) between the groups were analysed. MPO, MDA and TAC levels in the sera of CON and STU groups were 1.60 +/- 0.26Ul(-1), 11.42 +/- 5.23 nmol ml(-1), 8.30 x 10(-2) +/- 3.93 x 10(-2) nmol ml(-1) h(-1) and 1.07 +/- 0.11Ul(-1), 7.60 +/- 1.81 nmol ml(-1) and 0.15 +/- 3.23 x 10(-2) nmol ml(-1) h(-1), (p = 0.0001, p = 0.043 and p = 0.0001 respectively). MPO, ATPase and MDA levels in kidneys for CON and STU groups were 1.24 +/- 0.58 Ug(-1), 85.70 +/- 52.05 nmol mg(-1), 17.90 +/- 7.40 nmol ml(-1) and 0.78 +/- 0.31 Ug(-1), 195.90 +/- 56.13 nmol mg(-1) and 10.10 +/- 0.99 nmol ml(-1) (p=0.046,p=0.0001 and p=0.009 respectively). When given prior to reperfusion, the positive effect of iloprost in the attenuation of distant organ reperfusion injury has been demonstrated. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.