Aim:To investigate effects of taurine on ischemia/reperfusion(I/R)-induced com-partment syndrome in rabbit hind limbs.Methods:Rabbits underwent femoralartery occlusion after ligation of branches from terminal aorta to femoral artery.After a 7-h ischemia,reperfusion was established with the use of heparinizedpolyethylene shunts.Rabbits received taurine(1 g/kg)or normal saline(control)by iv infusion 10 min before shunt placement.During reperfusion,anterior com-partment pressure(ACP)was monitored continuously in the left lower extremity.Gastrocnemius muscle triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC)level,taurine contentand myeloperoxidase activity were assayed.Oxidative stress was induced in thein vitro gastrocnemius muscle slices by free radical generating systems(FRGS),and the malondialdehyde content was measured in presence or absence of taurine.Results:After 7 h of ischemia,none of the parameters that we measured weredifferent from those before ischemia,except that TTC reduction decreased by80%.In the control group,after 2 h of reperfusion,ACP increased 4.5-fold,andgastrocnemius muscle taurine content was reduced by 33%.In taurine-treatedanimals,at 2 h reperfusion,the mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate wereincreased,by 6% and 10%.ACP decreased by 39%,muscle edema decreased by16%,TTC reduction increased by 150%,and lactate dehydrogenase decreased by36% compared to control group.Plasma and muscle taurine content increased by70% and 88%,respectively.In the taurine-treated group,at 2 h repeffusion,plasmamalondialdehyde and conjugated diene content were decreased by 38% and 23%,respectively,and muscle malondialdehyde and conjugated diene content decreasedby 22% and 30%,respectively compared to the control group.At 2 h reperfusion,myeloperoxidase activity was increased 3.5-fold in control animals.In the in vitrostudy,taurine decreased malondialdehyde content in muscle slices incubatedwith hypochlorous acid in a dose-dependent manner,but there was no changewhen incubated with hydrogen peroxide and xanthine oxidase.Conclusion:Treat-ment with taurine inhibited I/R-induced compartment syndrome by at least in partattenuating oxidative stress injury induced by I/R,suggesting clinical applicationof taurine might be a new strategy for the prevention and treatment of compart-ment syndrome. Aim: To investigate effects of taurine on ischemia / reperfusion (I / R) -induced com-partment syndrome in rabbit hind limbs. Methods: Rabbits underwent femoralartery occlusion after ligation of branches from terminal aorta to femoral artery. After a 7-h ischemia , reperfusion was established with the use of heparinized polyethylene leaves. Rabbits received taurine (1 g / kg) or normal saline (control) by iv infusion 10 min before shunt placement. Fluid reperfusion, anterior com-partment pressure (ACP) was monitored continuously in the left lower extremity. Gastrocnemius muscle triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) level, taurine content and myeloperoxidase activity were assayed. Oxidative stress was induced in the in vitro gastrocnemius muscle slices by free radical generating systems (FRGS), and the malondialdehyde content was measured in presence or absence of taurine. Results: After 7 h of ischemia, none of the parameters that we measured weredifferent from those before ischemia, except that TTC reduction decreased by 8 0% .In the control group, after 2 h of reperfusion, ACP increased 4.5-fold, andgastrocnemius muscle taurine content was reduced by 33% .In taurine-treated animals, at 2 h reperfusion, the mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate were incremental, by 6% and 10%. ACP decreased by 39%, muscle edema decreased by 16%, TTC reduction increased by 150%, and lactate dehydrogenase decreased by 36% compared to control group. Plasma and muscle taurine content increased by 70% and 88% .In the taurine-treated group, at 2 h repeffusion, plasmamalondialdehyde and conjugated diene content were decreased by 38% and 23%, respectively, and muscle malondialdehyde and conjugated diene content decreasedby 22% and 30%, respectively compared to the control group. At the 2 h reperfusion, myeloperoxidase activity was increased 3.5-fold in control animals. In the in vitrostudy, taurine decreased malondialdehyde content in muscle slices incubated with hypochlorous acid in a dose-dependent manner, but there was no change incubated with hydrogen peroxide and xanthine oxidase. Conlusion: Treat ment with taurine inhibited I / R-induced compartment syndrome by at least in partattenuating oxidative stress injury induced by I / R, suggesting clinical application of taurine might be a new strategy for the prevention and treatment of compart-ment syndrome.