Reperfusion injury is one of the main reasons of
cardiac disease morbidity. Phytopharmaceuticals are gaining importance in modern medicine of cardioprotection because of their multiplex capacity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of
diosgenin on the inflammatory response induced by
myocardial ischemia and
reperfusion injury and the role of mitochondrial
ATP-sensitive
potassium (
mitoKATP) channels in this regard. Wistar rats (250-300 g) were used in this study. The Langendorff-perfused hearts of animals were subjected to a 30-min global
ischemia followed by a 90-min reperfusion. The
lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release was measured by spectrophotometry. The levels of inflammatory mediators
tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α),
interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and
IL-6 in the supernatant of heart's left ventricle were measured using an
enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay rat specific ELISA kit. The LDH release into the coronary effluent during reperfusion was significantly decreased, and cardiac contractility significantly improved by
diosgenin preadministration as compared with those of control or
Cremophor-EL (
solvent of
diosgenin) groups (398 ± 48 vs. 665 ± 65 or 650 ± 73 ml/min) (P < 0.01). Administration of
diosgenin before the main
ischemia significantly reduced the levels of
IL-6 (P < 0.05), IL-1β, and TNF-α (P < 0.01) in the reperfusion phase of
diosgenin-treated hearts as compared with untreated control hearts. Inhibition of
mitoKATP channels by
5-hydroxydecanoate significantly reverses the cardioprotective effects of
diosgenin (P < 0.05). The findings of the present study indicate that preconditioning with
diosgenin may induce cardioprotective effect against
reperfusion injury through reducing the production of inflammatory mediators and activating the
mitoKATP channels.