LAUSR

OBJECTIVE To explore the protective effect and underlying mechanism of allicin (ALC) on myocardial ischemia reperfusion (MI/R) injury in rats. METHODS The model of MI/R injury in rats was induced by ligating the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 equal groups (n = 10): sham group, MI/R injury group, and ALC precondition group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to examine the expression of cardiac troponin I, CK-MB, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-8 in the rats' serum. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to observe the myocardial pathologic morphology. A physiological recorder was used to measure cardiac systolic and diastolic function. Western blot analysis was used for detecting the expression of p38 and p-p38 in myocardium. The content of malondialdehyde and the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in myocardium were examined by automatic analysis with the thiobarbituric acid chromogenic and dinitrobenzoic acid methods, respectively. RESULTS ALC can significantly decrease the expression of cardiac troponin I, CK-MB, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-8 in the serum and reduce the myocardial pathologic injury and the expression of malondialdehyde and p-p38 in myocardial tissue. Moreover, ALC can upregulate the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase and improve myocardial systolic and diastolic function with no influence on the expression of p38. CONCLUSION ALC can protect rats against MI/R injury by suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress. The mechanism is associated with alleviating the activation of p38 signaling.