The Protective Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide on Isolated Rat Hearts During Hypothermic Preservation

OBJECTIVE To observe the protective effects of hydrogen sulfide on isolated rat hearts.METHODS Forty-eight SD rats were randomly assigned to two groups : control group(ST group,n=24),the hearts were arrested with St.Thomas Ⅱ solution and preserved in the same solution;study group(HST group,n=24),the hearts were arrested with St.Thomas Ⅱ plus hydrogen sulfide(H2S) solution and preserved in the same solution.All rat hearts were preserved for 4 h,6 h and 8 h with 4℃ hypothermia,and underwent 30 min reperfusion(37 ℃).The isolated hearts were perfused on the Langendorff perfusion apparatus for functional evaluation before and after preservation.Myocardial enzyme leakage,wet weights in myocardium and cardiac ultrastructure were measured after reperfusion.RESULTS After the hearts were preserved for 4 h and 6 h,the differences of the recovery of myocardial function and wet weights in myocardium were insignificant,but the differences of creatine kinase(CK) and lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) were significant between HST and ST group.After the hearts were preserved for 8 h,the differences of all target measured were significant between HST and ST group.CONCLUSION Addition of H2S into the St.Thomas Ⅱ solution could enhance the myocardial protective effects to the isolated rat hearts.