To determine the efficacy of direct versus systemic administration of human recombinant superoxide dismutase (rt-SOD) in acute myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, the following experimental model was applied. Twenty-one dogs were subjected to 30 minutes normothermic global ischemia caused by the occlusion of the ascending aorta followed by 60 minutes reperfusion. To eliminate collateral blood flows during the ischemia, bipulmonary hilus were cross clamped. The dogs were randomly assigned to three groups: group A (n = 7), 12 ml of normal saline was injected through the aortic root into the coronary artery 1 minute prior to reperfusion, in addition to a 30 minute continuous infusion of 50 ml of saline into the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit beginning just after reperfusion; group B (n = 7), rt-SOD (10,000 U/kg) dissolved in 12 ml saline was administered by bolus injection through the aortic root and an additional 30,000 U/kg of rt-SOD dissolved in 50 ml of saline was injected into the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit as the same manner as the group A; group C (n = 7), the treatment was similar to the group B except the bolus injection of rt-SOD was into the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. The left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI) was determined by a right heart bypass technique and expressed as a percent recovery of pre-occlusion state. Morphologic structures were observed by the electron microscope. The coronary sinus blood was assessed for malondialdehyde (MDA) measured by TBA method and creatine phosphokinase (CPK). The percent of recovery of LVSWI after 60 minutes reperfusion was superior in group B (121 +/- 82%) than groups A (24 +/- 38%*, *p less than 0.05) and C (52 +/- 21%*). In group B, the myocardial cell structure had a normal appearance in most areas, but swollen mitochondria and disrupted myofibrils were observed in groups A and C. Serum MDA levels did not change in all groups. Increasing CPK levels after reperfusion were less in group b than group A. These results suggest that an adequate concentration of rt-SOD in the interstitial fluid or cell surface at the time of reperfusion may be required to prevent reperfusion injury.