Lipid peroxidation contributes to cardiac deficits after ischemia and reperfusion of the small bowel. 
Our previous studies showed that intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) impairs cardiac contractile function.  The present study examined the contribution of oxygen free radicals and lipid peroxidation of cardiac cell membrane to cardiac dysfunction after intestinal IR in a rat model of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion (atraumatic clip for 20 min) and collateral arcade ligation.  Controls were sham operated (group 1, n = 25).  In group 2, 30 rats with SMA occlusion were killed 3-4 h after reperfusion without treatment.  Aminosteroid (U-74389F), a pharmacological agent known to inhibit lipid peroxidation of membranes, was given 1 min before occlusion of the SMA (group 3, n = 19).  All rats were killed 3-4 h after reperfusion of the ischemic intestine, and the hearts were harvested for in vitro assessment of cardiac function (Langendorff preparation).  Cardiac contractile depression occurred in the untreated group as indicated by a fall in left ventricular pressure (from 76 +/- 3 to 64 +/- 3 mmHg, P = 0.01), maximum +dP/dt (from 1,830 +/- 60 to 1,577 +/- 64 mmHg/s, P = 0.05), and maximum -dP/dt (from 1,260 +/- 50 to 950 +/- 60 mmHg/s, P = 0.005).  Lipid peroxidation of cardiac membranes occurred after untreated IR as indicated by the rise in cardiac malondialdehyde levels (MDA) (from 0.203 +/- 0.046 to 0.501 +/- 0.044 nM/mg protein, P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)