Objective To observe the effect of Acanthopanax senticosus saponins(ASS)
pretreatment on donor heart hypothermic storage and
discuss cardioprotection mechanism of ASS
pretreatment.Methods Rabbits were randomly divided into five groups:control group was subjected to Langendorff perfusion only;ischemic preconˉditioning group(IP group)was given2cycles of2.5min ischemia followed by5min reperfusion;ASS pretreatment group(ASS group)was given ASS pretreatment,then subjected to Langendorff perfusion;
glibenclamide and ASS pretreatment group(Gli+ASS group)was given glibenclamide first,then gained ASS pretreatment and Langendorff perfusion;glibenclamide group(Gli group)was given glibenclamide first,then subjected to Langendorff perfusion.All hearts were subsequently arrested by administrating St.ThomasⅡcardioplegic solution and stored at4℃for180min.Finally,hearts of five groups were reperfused by normothermic Langendorff perfusion.Heart function paˉrameters(±dp/dt max and their recovery percentage),myocardial CK_mb leakage,myocardial content of ATP and energy charge(EC)were determined.Results①Compared with control group,±dp/dt max recovery percentage inˉcreased,CK-mb decreased,ATP and EC increased in IP group following180min hypothermic storage;②Both Gli+ASS group and Gli group were similar to control group in±dp/dt max,CK_mb,ATP and EC(P>0.05);③Gli+ASS group was differnt from ASS group in±dp/dt max,CK_mb,ATP and EC following180min hypotherˉmic storage(P<0.05).Conclusions ASS pretreatment on donor heart can exert similar cardioprotection as IP.Opening ATP sensitive potassium channel is one of the important mechanisms of pharmacological pretreatment of ASS.