Abstract
Galium verum L. (G. verum, lady's bedstraw) is a perennial herbaceous plant, belonging to the Rubiaceae family. It has been widely used throughout history due to multiple therapeutic properties. However, the effects of this plant species on functional recovery of the heart after ischemia have still not been fully clarified. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine the effects of methanol extract of G. verum on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), with a special emphasis on the role of oxidative stress. Rats involved in the research were divided randomly into two groups: control (spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR)) and G. verum group, including SHR rats treated with the G. verum extract (500 mg/kg body weight per os) for 4 weeks. At the end of the treatment, in vivo cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography. Rats were sacrificed and blood samples were taken for spectrophotometric determination of systemic redox state. Hearts from all rats were isolated and retrogradely perfused according to the Langendorff technique. After a stabilization period, hearts were subjected to 20-minute ischemia, followed by 30-minute reperfusion. Levels of prooxidants were spectrophotometrically measured in coronary venous effluent, while antioxidant enzymes activity was assessed in heart tissue. Cell morphology was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. 4-week treatment with G. verum extract alleviated left ventricular hypertrophy and considerably improved in vivo cardiac function. Furthermore, G. verum extract preserved cardiac contractility, systolic function, and coronary vasodilatory response after ischemia. Moreover, it alleviated I/R-induced structural damage of the heart. Additionally, G. verum extract led to a drop in the generation of most of the measured prooxidants, thus mitigating cardiac oxidative damage. Promising potential of G. verum in the present study may be a basis for further researches which would fully clarify the mechanisms through which this plant species triggers cardioprotection.
Highlights
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the most common causes of disability and mortality worldwide [1]
Rats involved in the research were divided randomly into two groups: control (spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR)) and G. verum group, including SHR rats treated with the G. verum extract (500 mg/kg body weight per os) for 4 weeks
LV internal dimension at end diastole (LVIDd), LV internal diameter at end systole (LVIDs), and LV posterior wall thickness at end diastole (LVPWd) were significantly decreased after G. verum treatment, while Interventricular septal wall thickness at end diastole (IVSd) remained unchanged
Summary
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the most common causes of disability and mortality worldwide [1]. Timely restoration of blood flow to an ischemic heart is essential for limiting the infarct size, it can paradoxically exacerbate tissue damage. This phenomenon is known as ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and occurs in several forms such as reperfusion-induced arrhythmias, myocardial stunning, microvascular obstruction, and reperfusion-induced cardiomyocyte death [2]. As one of the most common risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, may worsen I/R outcome due to high myocardial load/mechanical stress [5]
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