Resveratrol attenuates the inflammatory reaction induced by ischemia/reperfusion in the rat heart.

The role of resveratrol (Res) in inflammation induced by ischemia/reperfusion is not well understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Res modulates neutrophil accumulation and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induction in an ischemia/reperfusion-injured rat heart model. The rats were randomly exposed to sham surgery, myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) alone, MI/R + Res, MI/R + Res + L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and MI/R + Res + methylene blue (MB). The results demonstrated that compared with MI/R, Res reduced the myocardial infarct area, myocardial myeloperoxidase levels, serum creatinine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels, and serum and myocardial TNF-alpha production. All the effects of Res demonstrated were inhibited by L-NAME (a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor) and MB [a cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) inhibitor]. Thus, Res produces cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. These effects may be associated with an increase in NO production, the inhibition of neutrophil accumulation, TNF-alpha induction and cGMP signaling pathways in myocardium subjected to MI/R.