Resveratrol provides late-phase cardioprotection by means of a nitric oxide- and adenosine-mediated mechanism

We used two experimental models to prove that resveratrol (trans-3,4,5-trihydroxystilbene) reduces cardiac ischemic-reperfusion injury by means of a nitric oxide- and adenosine-dependent mechanism. (1) Acute ex vivo: resveratrol (10 muM, 10 min) infusion in Langendorff-perfused normoxic rat hearts significantly increased adenosine release and coronary flow compared with baseline. After 30-min low-flow ischemia, vasodilation, still present at reperfusion, was completely abolished by resveratrol plus adenosine antagonist 8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophylline (SPT, 50 muM) administration. (2) Chronic in vivo: rats received tap water containing 25 mg/l resveratrol for 15 days or normal water. Twenty-four hours after, their hearts were Langendorff-perfused and submitted to 60-min low-flow ischemia and reperfusion. The resveratrol-treated hearts showed better functional recovery at reperfusion and significant vasodilation, but no variation in high-energy phosphates (P-31 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance). N-G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 30 muM), a nonselective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, or SPT (50 muM) administered for 10 min prior to the low-flow ischemia cancelled the effects. This suggests that long-term moderate resveratrol consumption could play an important role in late cardioprotective effects. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.