Material-Methods
Eighteen pigs were randomly divided into three groups as control (Group 1), sodium nitrite (Group 2) and sodium nitrate (Group 3) groups. Before the exploration of the heart, blood samplings were taken for alanine aminotranspherase (ALT), aspartate aminotranspherase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinine kinase-muscle band (CK-MB), troponin-t, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrite/nitrate (NO2-/NO3-) in all groups (T0). Following sternotomy and stabilization, blood and tissue samples were repeated (T1). Then, intracoronary sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate were given (0.5μg/kg) in Groups 2 and 3. Five minutes later, the left anterior descending (LAD) artery was ligated for I/R experiments. Blood and tissue samplings were repeated after 60 minutes of ischemia (T2) and 180 minutes of reperfusion period (T3). Light and electron microscopic investigations were performed.