Nitrite, a novel method to decrease ischemia/reperfusion injury in the rat liver

Figure 3 Parenchymal (microdialytic) glucose. A: Parenchymal (microdialytic) glucose (mean ± SE) in the ischemic liver lobes in rats subjected to 45 min of segmental (left lateral lobe) liver ischemia and 4 h of reperfusion with (nitrite, n = 14) or without (ischemia reperfusion injury, IRI, n = 14) intravenous pre-treatment with 480 nmol of nitrite and sham operated animals (n = 8). During ischemia, parenchymal glucose increased in both groups without any difference noted between the groups. In the reperfusion phase, there was a steady decline in the glucose levels. The shaded area represents the ischemic phase; B: Parenchymal (microdialytic) glucose (mean ± SE) in the control (non-ischemic, right) liver lobes in rats subjected to 45 min of segmental (left lateral lobe) liver ischemia and 4 h of reperfusion with (nitrite, n = 14) or without (IRI, n = 14) intravenous pre-treatment with 480 nmol of nitrite and sham operated animals (n = 8). After the administration of nitrite, parenchymal glucose increased significantly (P < 0.001) and reached levels higher than those in the untreated group (P = 0.02).