directly into a mammal either alone or in combination with other substances alternatively it may be added as a component of a solution used to maintain the viability of isolated organs such as an additive to cardioplegia and other organ preservation solutions in one embodiment deltorphin a seq id no 1 and or dermorphin h seq id no 2 is coadministered as an adjuvant with other compounds or strategies that are designed to protect organs from ischemia as an example deltorphin a seq id no 1 and or dermorphin h seq id no 2 may be administered with agents that affect nitric oxide no synthase such as arginine hydrochloride arginine hydrochloride is known to prevent the decline in cardiac function following an ischemic episode the following description demonstrates use and efficacy of deltorphin a seq id no 1 and dermorphin h seq id no 2 in a variety of systems deltorphin a seq id no 1 or dermorphin h seq id no 2 at a dose of 2 mg kg and solubilized as described above was administered by tail vein injection into rats weighing between about 350 u2013 400 g number of animals n 6 control rats n 6 were injected in the same manner with an equal volume of 0 9 nacl after 24 h the hearts from both treated and control animals were excised and perfused in a modified langendorff perfusion apparatus at 37 u00b0 c using oxygenated krebs henseleit buffer as the perfusate as known to one skilled in the art coronary perfusion pressure was maintained at 700 mm hg by regulating coronary flow all hearts were paced at 5 5 hz 300 beats per minute bpm except during ischemia a saline filled balloon was inserted in the left ventricle to measure developed.