Protective effect of Zanthoxylum armatum fruit on Heart Mitochondrial Antioxidants Against Isoproterenol Induced Cardiac Damage in Rats

Abstract

Background: Mitochondria are prone to oxidative stress induced by chemicals and resulting in cardiac damage which can be ameliorated by the use of herbal drugs. Zanthoxylum armatum (Z. armatum) fruit are used as age-old herbal remedies. Their pharmacological and therapeutics actions are not exploited in detail. Objective: The present study is to analyze the antioxidants in the heart mitochondria of the rats challenged with isoproterenol hydrochloride (ISO) and the ameliorative effect of Z. armatum fruit. Method: The antioxidant effect of hydroethanolic extract of Z. armatum fruit on mitochondrial dysfunction induced by ISO in rats were appraised by studying the antioxidant enzymes namely superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in mitochondrial fractions. Results: Pretreatment with Z. armatum fruit at two different concentrations (200mg, 400mg/kg body weight) not only increased the activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx, GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH) but also decreased the level of LPO in myocardial infarction (MI) induced rat heart mitochondria exposed to ISO. Conclusion: The enhanced antioxidant activity of Z. armatum fruit protected the heart mitochondria in rats against ISO-induced damage. This study may have a significant impact on the diseases that is caused by free radicals and the role of antioxidants in averting the diseases.