Effect of endogenous adenosine augmentation on ischemia and reperfusion injury to the liver.

ADENOSINE is known to cause vasodilation and to inhibit neutrophil activation, platelet aggregation, endothelin production, and superoxide production in the myocardium after ischemia and reperfusion.! To exploit these biological effects of adenosine to prevent tissue injury from ischemia and reperfusion, exogenous adenosine supplementation and endogenous adenosine supplement have been used experimentally. The aim of this study is to determine whether endogenous adenosine supplementation by inhibition of nucleoside transport (R 75231) or adenosine deaminase (EHNA) can attenuate ischemial reperfusion injury to the canine liver.