Lipid peroxidation and scavenger mechanism in experimentally induced heart infarcts

Dog experiments were performed to describe the time course of lipid peroxidation after various ischemic influences of the heart measured by formation of malondialdehyde (MDA), and the scavenger action determined by reduced glutathione (GSH) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Experimental groups consisted of control dogs having intact hearts and dogs with acute ramus descendens anterior ligature (LAD) having ischemic areas through 15, 30, 45 minutes and 1, 2, 3, 24 hours. Heart tissue for biochemical assays was excised from both the ischemic areas and from nonischemic left ventricle. The acute ischemia caused characteristic alterations in the biochemical parameters: MDA level gradually increased with its peak value being found at the end of 3 hours ligature. GSH levels decreased moderately, whereas SOD levels reduced sharply. As increased MDA formation indicates breakdown of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the membranes and decreased GSH and SOD levels indicate impairment of the natural scavengering, the observed changes clearly outline the extent of disintegration of membrane structure and function.