This study was undertaken in order to assess the role of purely circulation-related effects upon free-radical-mediated reperfusion injury in the liver by comparing the respective effects of the oxygen free-radical scavenger superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the vasodilative action of papaverine in an ischemia/reperfusion model of the liver. Livers from male Wistar rats were rinsed blood free via the portal vein and stored ischemically (60 min at 37 degrees C in Krebs-Henseleit solution and 60 min at 4 degrees C in Euro-Collins solution). Reperfusion was carried out at a constant flow of 30 ml/min for 45 min at 37 degrees C in a nonrecirculating manner. Warm ischemic damage was evident in untreated livers compared to control livers, submitted solely to cold ischemia for 2 h at 4 degrees C, by increased vascular resistance upon reperfusion, enhanced enzyme leakage from the parenchyma (glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamate dehydrogenase) and from the endothelium (purine-nucleoside phosphorylase), reduced tissue content of ATP and enhanced lipid peroxidation. Preischemic treatment with SOD or papaverine (the latter also given during reperfusion) significantly reduced hepatic vascular resistance and parenchymal enzyme loss in a comparable manner. Both drugs resulted in a significant increase of hepatic tissue content of ATP at the end of reperfusion. SOD, but not papaverine, prevented the leakage of purine-nucleoside phosphorylase and significantly reduced the tissue levels of lipid peroxides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)