The effects of CP in experimental myocardial infarction

Several clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated the protective mechanisms of exogenous high-energy compounds in treating total or regional myocardial ischemia. To evaluate the effects of creatine phosphate (CP) in an experimental model, rabbits of the New Zealand line were randomly divided into two CP-treated groups (A and B) and one control group (C). In all animals the circumflex coronary artery was ligated, and the size of the infarct zone was planimetrically determined. The contents of the phospholipid degradation products also were measured. Continuous electrocardiogram monitoring revealed a statistically significant reduction in the total number of ventricular ectopic beats in groups A and B and a longer period of both ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation in the control group than in the treated groups. Our results showed a statistically significant reduction of the necrotic zone in both treated groups versus the control group. Analysis of the degradation products of phospholipid metabolism emphasized an increase of both lysophosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylethanolamine in the untreated group versus treated groups. Significant correlation was found between total ventricular ectopic beats and the lysophosphoglyceride contents in groups A and B. On this basis we believe that CP may prevent the ischemic consequences on the myocardium of arrhythmias resulting from electrophysiological alterations produced by an increase of lysophosphoglycerides, and should reduce the extension of the necrotic zone, probably preserving the integrity of the cell membrane.