Cardioprotective effects of Cynodon Dactylon against ischemia/reperfusion-induced arrhythmias

Abstract

Although Cynodon Dactylon (Cyn.Dac) has been used in the folk medicine of many countries, however it is not reported the plant effect against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced arrhythmias. In the present study, probable anti-arrhythmic effect of Cyn.Dac was investigated in isolated rat hearts. The hearts (n=8–12) were subjected to 30 min regional ischemia followed by 30 min reperfusion and perfused with rhizome hydroalcoholic extract of Cyn.Dac (50, 100 and 200 μg/ml) throughout the experiment. The extract (50 μg/ml) produced marked (p<0.01) reduction in the number and duration of ventricular tachycardia (VT) during I/R. The total number of ischemic ventricular ectopic beats (VEBs) were reduced from 667±148 in the control to 56±22 by 50 μg/ml (p<0.001). It also decreased incidence of ischemic VT from 100% (control) to 17% (p<0.01). Duration, number and incidence of reperfusion-induced VT, total VF incidence and reversible VF duration were significantly lowered by the same concentration. Our finding showed marked protective effects of Cyn.Dac against I/R-induced arrhythmias in isolated rat hearts. Regarding the presence of flavonoid glycosides confirmed during phytochemical screening of the extract and their role in the scavenging of oxygen free radicals, it seems one of the potential cardioprotective mechanism of the plant is anti-inflammatory properties. Probably, metabolic and/or direct mechanism(s) may also involve.