Captopril improves recovery of adenosine triphosphate during reperfusion of the ischemic isolated rat heart; a 31-phosphorus-nuclear magnetic resonance study.

The effect of captopril on energy-rich phosphates and pH during normothermic ischemic arrest, hypothermic cardioplegic arrest and subsequent reperfusion was investigated in the isolated rat heart using 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance. The hearts remained in the probe during all perfusion procedures and captopril (80 ml.l-1) treatment was started directly after cannulation. After normothermic ischemic arrest (15 min), the ATP content of captopril-treated hearts was not significantly different from that of untreated hearts (53 +/- 9% and 52 +/- 8%, respectively). Accumulation of inorganic phosphate at the end of ischemia was significantly less in treated hearts, suggesting a higher end-ischemic nucleotide content in treated hearts. Hypothermic cardioplegic arrest (St. Thomas' Hospital solution, 4 degrees C) lasted for 3 h at 10 degrees C. Adenosine triphosphate in untreated hearts was significantly lower at the end of ischemia; 36 +/- 6% compared to 53 +/- 9% for untreated hearts. Adenosine triphosphate in untreated hearts recovered to 76 +/- 9% after normothermic ischemia and to 72 +/- 7% after hypothermic ischemia at the end of 30 min reperfusion. Captopril significantly improved adenosine triphosphate recovery in both treated groups; 89 +/- 4% after normothermic and 83 +/- 4% hypothermic ischemia. We conclude that captopril has a beneficial effect on recovery of adenosine triphosphate both after normothermic and after hypothermic ischemia.