Effect of 2, 3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) on myocardial protection in cold cardioplegia

AIM: The effects of BDM on isolated rat heart in cold cardioplegia were studied. METHODS: Rat heart were subjected to cold cardioplegia at 4℃ for 8, 18 and 24 h.Then each heart was perfused (90 cm H₂O) in Langendorff model at 37℃ for 40 min. In the high K⁺ group(n=24) the hearts were preserved in St.Thomas cardioplegic solution, in BDM group(n=24) hearts were preserved in K-H solution with BDM 30 mmoL/L. RESULTS: After 18 h, heart rate and the coronary flow in BDM group were significantly higher than in high K⁺ group(P＜0.05). Activity of Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase in cell membrane and in mitochondrial membrane in the BDM group was significantly higher than high K⁺ group(P＜0.01). After 24 h, all hearts in high K⁺ group were dead, but were alive in BDM group. CONCLUSION: Under given experiment conditions, BDM did enhance the tolerance to cold ischemia significantly. The results showed that BDM may become a useful agent for prolong the storage period of heart in cold cardioglegia.