The effect of trimetazidine (an antianginal drug that acts as a scavenger of oxygen radicals) in the prevention of peritoneal adhesions induced by complete vascular obstruction of an ileal segment for 30 minutes followed by reperfusion was investigated in rats. Group A (n = 20) acted as controls. Group B (n = 20) received trimetazidine intravenously in a dose of 2.5 mg/kg 30 minutes before the induction of ischaemia. Group C (n = 20) received the same dose of trimetazidine for 5 days before the experiment, twice a day intraperitoneally, and also intravenously 30 minutes before the induction of ischaemia. Group D (n = 20) received the same dose of trimetazidine intravenously immediately after reperfusion had started. Ten days later adhesions had developed in 90% of the animals of group A, 40% of those in group B (p less than 0.001), 5% of those in group C (p less than 0.001), and 60% of those in group D (p less than 0.05). The severity of adhesions was significantly less in the treated groups than in the control animals. Release of creatine phosphokinase during ischaemia and reperfusion significantly increase in groups A, B, and D. These results suggest that trimetazidine reduces the incidence and severity of peritoneal adhesion formation induced by ileal ischaemia and reperfusion, treatment before induction of ischaemia gave better results than treatment given afterwards.