Resistance to reperfusion injury following short term postischemic administration of natural honey in globally ischemic isolated rat heart

Abstract

Purpose: Results of our previous study revealed that preischemic perfusion of honey before zero flow global ischemia had cardioprotective effects in rat. The present study investigated potential resistance to reperfusion injury following short term postischemic administration of natural honey in globally ischemic isolated rat heart. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into five groups (n=10-13). The rat hearts were isolated, mounted on a Langendorff apparatus, allowed to equilibrate for 30 min then subjected to 30 min global ischemia. In the control group, the hearts were reperfused with drug free normal Krebs-Henseleit (K/H) solution before ischemia and during 120 min reperfusion. In the treatment groups, reperfusion was initiated with K/H solution containing different concentration of honey (0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2%) for 15 min and was resumed until the end of 120 min with normal K/H solution. Results: In the control group, VEBs number was 784آ±199, while in honey concentration of 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2%, it decreased to 83آ±23 (P<0.001), 138آ±48 (P<0.01), 142آ±37 (P<0.001) and 157آ±40 (P<0.01), respectively. Number and duration of VT and time spent in reversible VF were also reduced by honey. In the control group, the infarct size was 54.1آ±7.8%, however; honey (0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2%) markedly lowered the value to 12.4آ±2.4, 12.7آ±3.3, 11.3آ±2.6 and 7.9آ±1.7 (P<0.001), respectively. Conclusion: Postischemic administration of natural honey in global ischemia showed protective effects against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injuries in isolated rat heart. Antioxidant and radical scavenging activity, lipoperoxidation inhibition, reduction of necrotized tissue, presence of rich energy sources, various type of vitamins, minerals and enzymes and formation of NO-contain metabolites may probably involve in those cardioprotective effects. é 2012 by Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.