Fig. 5

Protective effect of I-Post combined with nicorandil on myocardial I/R injury in diabetic rats A Representative sections of TTC/Evans Blue stained heart tissue subjected to 30 min myocardial ischemia followed by 2.5 h of reperfusion and infarct area histogram analysis (n = 5). B CK-MB plasma levels in rats treated with I-Post combined with nicorandil (n = 6). C ROS levels in myocardial tissue in rats treated with I-Post combined with nicorandil (n = 6). D Representative cross-sectional HE-stained pathological section of the heart, and comparison of pathological damage scores (n = 6). Red arrows indicate cellular oedema as well as myocardial fiber swelling; black arrows represent myofiber lysis; blue arrows represent inflammatory cell infiltration. E Representative TUNEL-stained sections of the heart, and apoptotic index of cardiomyocytes in each group (n = 5). F Representative cross-sectional WGA staining of the heart, and quantitative data on the cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes (n = 6). Compared with I-Post + Nic: ***P < 0.001, **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05. Data represent the mean ± SEM. Data were analysed using one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni multiple comparisons test. I/R, ischaemia‒reperfusion; I-Post, ischaemia postconditioning; Nic, nicorandil; I-Post + Nic: Combination of I-Post and Nicorandil treatment measures; DM, diabetes mellitus