LAUSR

Abstract Aims Diosmin is a citrus flavonoid with broad biological activities. Moreover, the administration of biologically active compounds during the myocardial reperfusion potentiates the cardioprotection and survival rate. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate whether the reperfusion with diosmin elicits protection to ischemic hearts and to investigate the mechanisms involved in these effects. Main methods Male Wistar rats were subjected to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in the presence or absence of diosmin (0.1 μM). When appropriated, a non-selective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor was used. Key findings Here, we show that the severe impairment of contractile function induced by I/R was fully recovered by the administration of diosmin. Our results also showed that reperfusion with diosmin markedly reduced the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias and enhanced coronary microvascular function. Moreover, the rise of end-products of lipid peroxidation, biomarkers of cell damage, and infarct size were dramatically attenuated with diosmin reperfusion. However, all cardioprotective effects mediated by diosmin were fully abolished by inhibition of NOS, including the contractile function, arrhythmias index, coronary flow, and infarct size. Significance Together, our data show that inclusion of diosmin during myocardial reperfusion potentiates the cardioprotection through a NOS-dependent mechanism.