Beneficial Effects of Aminophylline on Ischemia-Reperfusion in Isolated Rabbit Heart

Abstract

Eighteen rabbit hearts were arrested for 3 hours with cardioplegic solution at 4°C, followed by reperfusion with oxygenated perfusion solution at 37°C for 2 hours. Six control hearts received no drug during arrest or reperfusion (group 1). Six hearts received 3 mg•L -1 aminophylline during the arrest period (group 2). Six hearts received 3 mg•L -1 aminophylline during the reperfusion period (group 3). Effects of aminophylline were evaluated in terms of the pressure-volume relationship, coronary flow, myocardial oxygen extraction, and lactate release before cardioplegic arrest and after 1 and 2 hours of reperfusion. End-diastolic pressure at constant volume after 2 hours of reperfusion was 19 ± 2.63 mm Hg in group 1, 14 ± 1.7 mm Hg in group 2, and 19 ± 2.55 mm Hg in group 3 (p < 0.05 for group 2 versus groups 1 and 3). End-systolic pressure at constant volume after 2 hours of reperfusion was 81 ± 3.55 mm Hg in group 1, 90 ± 2.95 mm Hg in group 2, and 84 ± 3.47 mm Hg in group 3 (p < 0.05 for group 2 versus groups 1 and 3). Oxygen extraction was significantly higher and release of lactate was significantly lower in group 2 compared to groups 1 and 3. The results indicate that aminophylline administration during cardioplegic arrest improved systolic and diastolic function and had a beneficial effect on metabolic recovery.

Pretreatment with aminophylline reduces release of Troponin I and neutrophil activation in the myocardium of patients undergoing cardioplegic arrest

“…A similar clinical result has been reported by Kaplan et al [8], who found reduced postoperative cTnI and cTnT in patients treated with aminophylline for 3 days before coronary artery bypass grafting operation. Another study, using an isolated rabbit heart model [7], demonstrated that cardioplegia containing aminophylline can improve cardiac function, reduce lactate release and increase coronary blood flow. The results from our current study further provides clinical evidence of the cardioprotective effects of aminophylline.…”

“…It has been demonstrated that aminophylline has numerous anti-inflammatory effects, including the inhibition of inflammatory mediators and activation of nuclear factor kappa B [2][3][4][5][6]. Aminophylline has also been shown to improve the functional recovery of isolated rabbit heart with cardioplegic preservation [7]. Recently, aminophylline has been shown to reduce the release of cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) and improve cardiac function in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for coronary artery bypass grafting [8].…”