Abstract:Objective: Previous studies have shown that allitridum can protect myocardium from ischernia/reperfusion (I/R)injury, but whether allitridum had the effect of anti-apoptosis is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether allitridum had the effects of pharmacological preconditioning and decreasing myocardium apoptosis after ischemic insult. Methods: Pentobarbital sodiumanesthetized Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats underwent 30 min of left anterior descending (LAD) coronary occlusion followed by 120 min of reperfusion. Thirty-six rats were divided into three groups randomly: Control group, I/R group and allitridum (G) group. The control and I/R groups with saline, G group with allitridum were administrated 24 h before operation. Control group underwent only sham operation;the other two groups underwent I/R operation. Infarcted size (IS/AAR % ) was measured in I/R and G groups. Malondialdehyde(MDA), Creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB (CK-MB), Superoxide dismutase (SOD)and the apoptosis index (AI) by TUNEL staining were measured in each group. In addition, DNA fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis was conducted on DNA isolated from these groups.Results: Allitridum pretreatment decreased the infarcted size compared with I/R group in IS/ AAR% [(21.85 ± 1.49)% vs.(44.65±4.65)%, P<0.01], CK-MB [(986.40±94.01) vs. (2044.25±107.28) U/L, P<0.01] and MDA [(3.26±0.35) vs.(4.96±0.46) nmol/mg pro, P<0.01], and SOD level in G group was higher than that of I/R group [(140.20± 12.89)vs. (73.16±11.22) U/mg pro, P<0.01]. AI of I/R group was higher than that of G group [(13.99±3.05)% vs. (6.97± 1.23)%, P<0.01],which was consistent with that in DNA fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis. Conclusion: This study indicated that allitridum had the effect of protecting myocardium against I/R injury and decreasing infarcted zone. The effect was probably through decreasing myocardium apoptosis in I/R injury.