[Metabolic effects of mexidole during cardiosurgical operations using extracorporeal circulation]

The effect of mexidole on the levels of glutathione, the activity of its metabolic enzymes, glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GP), and antioxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the red blood cells under hypothermic perfusion was studied. A total of 96 patients were examined. The study was performed before perfusion, at the cooling and warming stages, an hour after perfusion, and in the morning of a following day. Mexidole was administered to 26 patients in the evening, before surgery, and at the cooling and warming stages (Group 1). The agent was not given to 70 patients (Group 2). In Group 2, there was an association of the level of glutathione and the activity of the enzymes under study with temperature. There were the least changes observed at 30-34 and 26-29 degrees C and a substantial decrease (by more than 30%) at the cooling stage as compared with pre-perfusion values. In the mexidole group, the content of glutathione increased under all temperature conditions at the study stages (by 30 to 58%) and the activity of all the test enzymes: GR and GP up to 33%, SOD up to 20-60%, CAT by 20-30%. The elevated level of all the parameters was also preserved on the following postoperative day. It may be suggested that mexidole activates the biosynthesis of glutathione and antioxidative enzymes, thus enhancing the antioxidative defense of cell membranes.