Abstract
This study sought to investigate the cardioprotective potency and interaction of muskmelon (Cucumis melo) with enalapril (ENA) against myocardial damage caused by acute and chronic isoprenaline (ISO) treatments in rats. In the acute model, 150 mg/kg (s.c) of ISO was administered for two consecutive days at the end of pretreatment with either ENA, muskmelon, or both in their respective groups. ISO was introduced into the chronic therapy of ENA/muskmelon/ENA + muskmelon groups during the last 10 days at 3 mg/kg. Muskmelon was tested at three doses (100, 200, and 500 mg/kg, p.o., 30 days), and one normal dose of ENA (10 mg/kg) was used. Blood samples were taken at the end of treatment, and the animals were sacrificed. Biochemical markers such as LDH and CK-MB, as well as antioxidant (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalases) and thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) were measured in both serum and heart tissue homogenate (HTH). To confirm the biochemical findings, histological slides of heart tissue were prepared. ISO administration induced an elevation in the amount of TBARS, which was increased in all groups in which it was administered. Prior treatment with muskmelon and ENA in animals resulted in a rise in biomarker activity in homogenated heart tissue and a decrease in serum. In terms of alleviating the abnormal conditions caused by ISO, the group given a high dose of muskmelon and combined therapy had the best outcomes. The activities of SOD and catalase were substantially higher in the treated classes. Histological findings showing the cytoprotective actions of the high dose of muskmelon and ENA have confirmed the biochemical outcomes of both models. It is therefore concluded that the high dose of muskmelon (500 mg/kg) has a promising cardioprotective potential that is improved more efficiently in the acute injury model in the presence of ENA.
Highlights
The utilization of complementary and alternative medicines is thriving around the world, especially in developed countries, including the US [1]
For LDH and CKMB, subcutaneous administration of ISO for two consecutive days produced a fall in the activity of cardiac marker enzymes CKMB and LDH (p < 0.01) in heart tissue homogenate (HTH), with a concurrent increase in the activities of these enzymes (p < 0.01) in the serum
Thirty days of low doses of muskmelon (MLD), medium doses of muskmelon (MMD), and high doses of muskmelon (MHD) treatment and 10 days of enalapril in their respective groups caused a significant reduction in LDH and CKMB in the serum when compared with the ISO control (Table 1)
Summary
The utilization of complementary and alternative medicines is thriving around the world, especially in developed countries, including the US [1]. It is intriguing to take note of how herbs are regularly given blended with conventional medications, raising the capability of herb–drug interactions [2]. Certain herbal supplements can have potentially dangerous side effects when combined with prescription drugs, and the number of cases reported for emerging herb–drug collaborations is currently on the rise [3]. The literature review uncovered that 80% individuals utilized traditional medication, generally plant drugs, for their essential medical service needs [3]. 20% of people combined natural medications with their regular medication [4]. It is widely accepted that thorough investigations into herb–drug interactions should be conducted in order to confirm the viability of combination drug–herb therapy
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