Neutrophils have been implicated in the genesis of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, and their mechanism of action has been linked to the production of reactive oxygen species, fatty acid-derived prostanoids, and leukotrienes. In this study, we examined the potential relation between production of reactive oxygen species and cyclooxygenase-derived autacoids by studying the effects of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) on the rise in thromboxane formation observed with myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. Immunoreactive thromboxane B2 was measured in cardiac lymph from conscious dogs during reperfusion after a 60-minute occlusion in the presence of infusions of SOD alone, CAT alone, and a combination of SOD and CAT. Reperfusion after 60 minutes of ischemia causes an immediate elevation in thromboxane B2. SOD and CAT infusion prevented this rise in thromboxane B2 as did infusion of SOD alone. The ability of SOD-CAT to suppress thromboxane B2 production dissipated within 3 hours after the cessation of infusion, at which time thromboxane B2 excretion increased. The modulation of fatty acid oxygenases by reactive oxygen species may be a very important pathogenic factor in considering the origin of the protective effect of antioxidants in the setting of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.