Effects of Trimetazidine on Ischemic Contracture in Isolated Perfused Rat Hearts

Trimetazidine (1-[2,3,4-trimethoxibenzyl)]-piperazine, TMZ) is a drug with a proposed metabolically based antiischemic action. Because ischemic contracture is a serious complication of ischemia and is considered metabolic in origin, we studied the effect of trimetazidine (TMZ) on development of ischemic contracture in experimental low-flow ischemia. TMZ was either added to the perfusion fluid or given as pretreatment to the donor rats. Langendorff-perfused isolated rat hearts were submitted to 30-min subtotal global ischemia (residual flow = 0.2 ml/min, n = 6 per group) (normal flow = 12.4 +/- 0.8 ml/min, heart fresh weight = 0.9 +/- 0.3 g). Ischemic contracture was measured by a water-filled intraventricular balloon. Thereafter, the hearts were reperfused for 20 min and recovery of intraventricular pressure was monitored. Furthermore, because the mechanisms of action of TMZ may involve cellular energy metabolism, we assessed throughout glycolytic flux by collecting the coronary effluent every 5 min during control perfusion, ischemia, and reperfusion periods. Animals from the pretreated groups received TMZ [3 mg/kg orally (p.o.) twice daily] for 5 days. Animals from the control group received placebo for the same time period. Concentrations of 10(-6) and 10(-4) M were used when the drug was added to the perfusate. In our experimental conditions, TMZ pretreatment alone had no measurable cardioprotective effect, but addition to the perfusate of TMZ 10(-6) M, approximately a therapeutic concentration in humans, reduced ischemic contracture in both pretreated and control groups and improved postischemic recovery of developed pressure.