Isolated Rat Hearts

Diets supplemented with fish oil have been shown to protect against the complications of coronary heart disease with reduced atherogenesis, smaller infarcts, fewer arrhythmias, and a lower mortality rate. This has been attributed to the effect of fish oil on blood cells and plasma components, including an inhibition of platelets, a decrease in plasma fibrinogen, reduction in release of free radicals from neutrophils and myocytes, and enhancement of the endothelium-derived relaxing factor. The current study was designed to compare the effects of a diet enriched with fish oil on myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, independent of blood cells and plasma components, using an isolated rat-heart preparation. Rats were fed either a fish-oil-enriched or a butter-enriched diet for 5 days, after which their heart