Background and objective We investigated whether glibenclamide (glyburide) affects myocardial metabolism and hydroxyl radical formation in the rat heart–lung preparation with or without inhalation anaesthetics.

Methods Thirty-seven male Wistar rats were allocated to four groups: (a) control group (C), received vehicle only; (b) group G, received glibenclamide 10 μM L−1; (c) group I, received glibenclamide 10 μM L−1 and 1.4% isoflurane during perfusion; (d) group S, received glibenclamide 10 μM L−1 and 2.7% sevoflurane during perfusion. Glibenclamide was administered 7 min after the start of perfusion. Ten minutes later, the heart was rendered globally ischaemic for 10 min by reducing the preload and afterload to zero, and then the heart was reperfused for 10 min. The formation of hydroxyl radicals in perfusate blood and heart was measured with high performance liquid chromatography using salicylic acid. Hydroxyl radicals react with salicylic acid, yielding dihydroxybenzoic acids.

Results The recovery time from ischaemia in group G was significantly longer than the other groups. However, there were no differences in myocardial metabolites and dihydroxybenzoic acids concentrations in the perfusate and heart among the four groups.

Conclusions Glibenclamide prolonged recovery time from ischaemia, but did not affect hydroxyl radical formation in the postischaemic reperfused heart. In addition, isoflurane and sevoflurane shortened this time. These facts suggest that mechanisms other than effects of volatile anaesthetics on hydroxyl radical formation are responsible for their protective effects in this model.