The protective effect of Montelukast against skeletal muscle ischemia reperfusion injury: An experimental rat model

Montelukast is a selective leukotriene D-4 receptor antagonist, which specifically and reversibly inhibits cysteinyl leukotriene-1 receptor. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Montelukast on skeletal muscle reperfusion injury created as acute ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in Wistar-albino rats.

The study comprised 16 male Wistar-albino rats. The rats were randomly separated into two groups as control (IR) and treatment (IR+Montelukast). Ischemia was obtained using a femoral artery clamp. After reperfusion following a 2-hour ischemia, muscle samples were taken for biochemical and histopathological analyses.

Malondialdehyde levels were determined to be at statistically higher levels in the control compared with that in the Montelukast group (p=0.002, p<0.01). The superoxide dismutase levels were determined to be at statistically higher level in the Montelukast group compared with that in the control group (p=0.001, p<0.01). In the histopathological examination of the ischemic muscles, edema, polymorinfiltration and erythrocyte extravasation levels were found to be statistically significant higher in the control group than in the Montelukast group. Edema, polymorphonuclear infiltration, and erythrocyte extravasation levels were observed to be significantly reduced in the treatment group compared with that in the control.

In this model of skeletal muscle acute IR injury, the protective effect of Montelukast against skeletal muscle reperfusion injury was emphasized. We concluded that Montelukast could accelerate functional recovery in the extremity by limiting the local and systemic complications caused by reperfusion in cases such as extremity trauma with vascular injuries and extremity surgery with prolonged tourniquet application. However, further experimental and clinical studies are required to confirm this effect.