Cardioprotective Effects of ACE Inhibition and Angiotensin II Receptor Blockade in Diabetic Rats

A total of 96 rats were subdivided into 3 groups (n = 32 per group) and subjected to 4 different experimental protocols. The first group contained nondiabetic rats. All hearts isolated from these animals in this group were subdivided into 4 subgroups subjected to acute hyperglycemia which was created by adding 6 g/L to the perfusion buffer. One subgroup (Ctr) was subjected to only I/R and served as control. The second subgroup (Cap) was subjected to I/R and treated with Captopril (100 μM; cat. #:C4042 Sigma-Aldrich (St Louis, MI, USA)). The third subgroup (Los) was subjected to I/R and treated with Losartan (4.5 μM, Santa Cruz Biotechnology). The fourth subgroup (Cap + Los) was subjected to I/R and treated with Losartan (4.5 μM) and Captopril (100 μM). All drugs were injected 5 min before the end of ischemia and continued for 10 min thereafter (Figure 9). The second group was subjected to DM for four weeks, then divided into four subgroups, Ctr, Cap, Los, and Los + Cap (Figure 9). The third group was subjected to DM for six weeks, then like the previous groups, was subdivided into four similar subgroups (Ctr, Cap, Los, and Cap + Los (Figure 9).