RESUMO
Objective: This study aimed to demonstrate whether ozone has cardioprotective effects on the myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats with streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetes. Methods: A total of 38 male Wistar Albino rats were divided into five groups as follows: control group (group C,n=6), diabetic group (group D,n=6), diabetic ozone group (group DO,n=6), diabetic-ischemia/reperfusion (group DIR,n=6), diabetic-ischemia/reperfusion-ozone (group DIRO,n=6). Six rats died during this period and two died because of surgical complications. A myocardial ischemia-reperfusion model was created using a thoracotomy incision from 4th intercostal space. The LAD was ligated using an 8-0 prolene suture for 30min. Ozone was administered intraperitoneally(1mg/kg) 5min before reperfusion. The reperfusion time was 120 min. At the end of the reperfusion procedure, myocardial tissue histopathological examinations, and serum biochemical analyses were performed. Results: The percentage of TUNEL(+) cardiomyocytes/HPF was significantly higher in the DIR group than in the C, D, and DO groups. Conversely, TUNEL positivity was significantly lower in the DIRO group than in the DIR group. The IRI score was significantly higher in the DIR and DIRO groups than that in the C, D, and DO groups. In contrast, the IRI damage score in the DIRO group was significantly lower than that in the DIR group. Serum MDA levels were significantly higher in the DIR group than in the C, D, and DO groups. Similarly, MDA levels were significantly higher in the DIRO group than in the C and D groups. CAT activity was significantly higher in the DIR group than in the C and D groups. SOD activity was significantly higher in the DIR group than in the C and DO groups. Conclusion: Our study showed that ozone exerts cardioprotective effects in STZ-induced diabetic rats through its antioxidant role against oxidative stress. Both biochemical and histological analyses clearly revealed that ozone has beneficial effects against IRI in the diabetic rat myocardium.