The effect of allopurinol and deferrioxamine on rat heart mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation after normothermic ischemic cardiac arrest and of reperfusion.

The electron transport chain of the mitochondria is highly sensitive to myocardial ischemia. As free oxygen radicals take part in the damage that occurred during ischemia, this study was undertaken to determine if allopurinol and deferrioxamine had any beneficial effect on mitochondrial function. Our results showed that perfusion with allopurinol did not improve the mitochondrial function, but that reperfusion with allopurinol and deferrioxamine had a beneficial effect. We came to the conclusion that xanthine oxidase, as a generator of superoxide anions, is of minor importance in comparison with the hydroxyl radicals, which are probably formed in the presence of iron in the cell.