OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of sildenafil on reducing the impact of hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (HIR) injury established by Pringle maneuver on the heart of rats. STUDY DESIGN: Forty Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 groups: Sham (laparotomy only), Control (laparotomy following sildenafil application), IR (ischemia/reperfusion injured by HIR), and IR+SIL (injured by HIR following sildenafil application). Ischemia was developed by clamping the hepatoduodenal ligament for 30 minutes; then reperfusion was applied for 30 minutes. Sildenafil (single dose of 50 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage for 15 minutes before ischemia. Blood samples of rats were collected from Sham and Control groups at 60 minutes and from IR and IR+SIL groups at 30 minutes after initiation of reperfusion for biochemical analysis. Meanwhile, heart tissues were sampled for biochemical analysis. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum samples and TAC, total oxidative capacity (TOC), and oxidative stress index in heart tissues were examined biochemically. RESULTS: Serum MDA levels were elevated significantly in the IR and IR+SIL groups as compared to the sham group. Sildenafil treatment inhibited MDA increase considerably in the IR+SIL group as compared to the IR group. Serum TAC levels were elevated significantly in the sildenafil and control groups (compared with sham groups) and in the IR+SIL group (compared with the IR group). TAC levels detected in heart tissue increased significantly in the IR group as compared to the sham group; however, sildenafil treatment had no effect on this increase. CONCLUSION: Heart tissue was affected by HIR. It was revealed that sildenafil treatment may prevent the oxidative stress via increasing serum TAC levels in both control and IR+SIL groups. © Science Printers and Publishers, Inc.