Effects of Curcumin on Parameters of Myocardial Oxidative Stress and of Mitochondrial Glutathione Turnover in Reoxygenation after 60 Minutes of Hypoxia in Isolated Perfused Working Guinea Pig Hearts.

In cardiovascular surgery ischemia-reperfusion injury is a challenging problem, which needs medical intervention. We investigated the effects of curcumin on cardiac, myocardial, and mitochondrial parameters in perfused isolated working Guinea pig hearts. After preliminary experiments to establish the model, normoxia was set at 30 minutes, hypoxia was set at 60, and subsequent reoxygenation was set at 30 minutes. Curcumin was applied in the perfusion buffer at 0.25 and 0.5 µM concentrations. Cardiac parameters measured were afterload, coronary and aortic flows, and systolic and diastolic pressure. In the myocardium histopathology and AST in the perfusate indicated cell damage after hypoxia and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels increased to 232.5% of controls during reoxygenation. Curcumin protected partially against reoxygenation injury without statistically significant differences between the two dosages. Mitochondrial MDA was also increased in reoxygenation (165% of controls), whereas glutathione was diminished (35.2%) as well as glutathione reductase (29.3%), which was significantly increased again to 62.0% by 0.05 µM curcumin. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was strongly increased in hypoxia and even more in reoxygenation (255% of controls). Curcumin partly counteracted this increase and attenuated GPx activity independently in hypoxia and in reoxygenation, 0.25 µM concentration to 150% and 0.5 µM concentration to 200% of normoxic activity.

Effect of short-term low-intensity exercise training on association of oxygen free radicals and nitric oxide production in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Moderate-to-high intensity of exercise training within 2 to 3 months decreases oxygen free radicals (reactive oxygen species, ROS) and increases nitric oxide (NO) in outpatients with myocardial infarction. There is no data about the association of ROS and NO after short-term low-intensity exercise training within 5 days in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 32 male patients with AMI were randomized into two groups: 15 patients with short-term low-intensity exercise training within 5 days formed the training group and 17 patients without such exercise training formed the control group. All patients performed exercise treadmill test with modified Bruce protocol before and after the study. F2-isoprostane and NO concentration of the training group increased slightly after modified Bruce exercise treadmill test. Compared with the control group, NO of the training group was also slightly higher. Baseline NO and uric acid were negative predictor variables for F2-isoprostane in all patients hospitalized with AMI, and triglyceride was a positive predictor variable. After the study, physical capacity of the training group was higher; but heart rate and systolic blood pressure were lower significantly. This study showed that short-term low-intensity exercise training for patients hospitalized with AMI did not change ROS and NO productions, but it improved physical capacity and lowered heart rate and systolic blood pressure. NO was negative predictor variable for F2-isoprostane in controlling ROS changes in dynamic compensation mechanism.