Abstract
(−)-Epicatechin (E) is a flavanol found in green tea and cocoa and has been shown to attenuate tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-)-mediated inflammation, improve nitric oxide levels, promote endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation and inhibit NADPH oxidase. This study investigated the effect of 28 days of low epicatechin dosing (1 mg/kg/day) on the cardiovascular function of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. Wistar rats (n = 120, 8 weeks of age) underwent uninephrectomy and were randomised into four groups (uninephrectomy (UNX), UNX + E, DOCA, DOCA + E). DOCA and DOCA + E rats received 1% NaCl drinking water along with subcutaneous injections of 25 mg deoxycorticosterone-acetate (in 0.4 mL of dimethylformamide) every fourth day. UNX + E and DOCA + E rats received 1 mg/kg/day of epicatechin by oral gavage. Single-cell micro-electrode electrophysiology, Langendorff isolated-heart assessment and isolated aorta and mesenteric organ baths were used to assess cardiovascular parameters. Serum malondialdehyde concentration was used as a marker of oxidative stress. Myocardial stiffness was increased and left ventricular compliance significantly diminished in the DOCA control group, and these changes were attenuated by epicatechin treatment (p < 0.05). Additionally, the DOCA + E rats showed significantly reduced blood pressure and malondialdehyde concentrations; however, there was no improvement in left ventricular hypertrophy, electrophysiology or vascular function. This study demonstrates the ability of epicatechin to reduce blood pressure, prevent myocardial stiffening and preserve cardiac compliance in hypertrophied DOCA-salt rat hearts.
Highlights
Epicatechin, a flavanol found in green tea and cocoa, is being increasingly investigated for its therapeutic potential in metabolic syndrome [1], myocardial ischemia and infarction [2,3,4] and vascular function [5,6,7,8]
The cardioprotective benefits of epicatechin are not limited to reducing pathological pathways, having been shown to promote phosphorylation of key proteins involved in the physiological remodelling of the heart
Blood pressure (BP) was significantly elevated in the deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) group, with an average increase of 64 ± 8 mmHg compared to the uninephrectomy (UNX) controls (Table 1). (−)-Epicatechin (E)
Summary
Epicatechin, a flavanol found in green tea and cocoa, is being increasingly investigated for its therapeutic potential in metabolic syndrome [1], myocardial ischemia and infarction [2,3,4] and vascular function [5,6,7,8]. It has been shown that 10 mg/kg epicatechin intravenously reduced myocardial injury associated with I/R by preserving mitochondrial function in Sprague Dawley rats [9]. The cardioprotective benefits of epicatechin are not limited to reducing pathological pathways, having been shown to promote phosphorylation of key proteins involved in the physiological remodelling of the heart. These include components involved in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway [13] and both Akt and proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase (Src) [14]
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