Methods: Thirty-four Wistar albino rats were divided into five groups. Three groups were assigned to ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury via cross-clamping of the abdominal aorta just below the renal arteries for three hours, followed by one hour of reperfusion. Of these, one group (n=8) of rats received 100 mg/kg ascorbic acid via the left jugular vein before cross-clamping, while another group (n=8) received 20/ng/kg/min iloprost by constant intravenous infusion via the left jugular venous cannula during cross-clamping. In the sham group (n=6), the rats were anesthetized, a left jugular venous cannula was inserted and the abdomen was left open during the same period. In the control group (n=6), the soleus muscles were removed and blood samples were taken immediately after sternotomy without any further treatment.

Results: Compared to the I/R group, arterial blood pO₂ and HCO₃ levels were significantly high (p<0.05) and skeletal muscle malondialdehyde (MDA), plasma MDA, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels were significantly low (p<0.05) in both the iloprost and vitamin C groups. Vitamin C-treated rats had significantly lower skeletal muscle MDA levels than those of the iloprost group (p<0.05). No significant differences were found between the iloprost and vitamin C groups with regard to pO₂, HCO₃, plasma MDA, LDH and CPK (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Ischemia and reperfusion of the lower extremity result in significant skeletal muscle injury. This injury can be attenuated by both vitamin C and iloprost pretreatment.