ABSTRACT
Myocardial infarction [MI] is a common presentation of the ischemic heart disease. Lavandula angustifolia is an herbaceous plant with antioxidative effects. This study was designed to investigate the cardioprotective effects of lavandula angustifolia essential oil against isoproterenol-induced MI in rats. The dried sample was subjected to hydrodistillation by using a Clevenger and the oils were dried over anhydrous Na[2]SO[4]. Male Wistar rats were assigned to 6 groups of control, sham, isoproterenol and treatment with 5, 10, 20 mg/Kg of the essential oil. MI was induced by subcutaneous injection of Isoproterenol [100 mg/Kg] for 3 consecutive days at an interval of 24 h. The essential oil was given intraperitoneally every 24 h started at MI induction. Following anesthesia, hemodynamic parameters were measured. After sacrificing the animals, the hearts were removed to measure the heart to body weight ratio and histopathological examination. Myeloperoxidase [MPO] and Malondialdehyde [MDA] were measured in heart tissues for evaluating the activity of neutrophils and lipid peroxidation, respectively. The essential oil amended ECG pattern by suppressing ST-segment elevation and increasing R-amplitude. 10 mg/Kg of the essential oil significantly decreased heart to body weight ratio [P<0.001] and the elevation of MDA and MPO in myocardium, it also increased dp/dtmax from 2793 +/- 210 to 4488 +/- 253 mmHg/sec [P<0.001], and 20 mg/Kg of it significantly lowered LVEDP from 14 +/- 3.43 to 4.3 +/- 0.83 mmHg [P<0.001].The results demonstrated that L. angustifolia protects myocardium against isoproterenol-induced MI that it could be related to its antioxidant properties
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Oils, Volatile , Cardiotonic Agents , Isoproterenol , Myocardial Infarction , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
A growing body of preclinical data indicates that statins may possess antineoplastic properties; however, some studies have raised the possibility that statins may also have carcinogenic potential. An air pouch model was used for angiogenesis. Single or multiple applications of croton oil on the back of Swiss albino mice with or without initiation by dimethylbenz[a]antheracene [DMBA] were used to evaluate the skin tumorgenesis, ultrastructural and histological alterations. Atorvastatin [orally, 10 mg/kg/day] produced a significant [P<0.05] reduction in angiogenesis. Concurrent administration of mevalonate reversed the antiangiogenic effect of atorvastatin. However, local injection of atorvastatin [200 micro g] into the pouches induced a significant [P<0.5] increase in angiogenesis that was not reversed by co-administration of mevalonate. The disturbance of cell polarity, inflammatory response, thickness of epidermal layer, and mitotic index induced by croton oil were inhibited markedly and dose-dependently [P<0.001] by pre-treatment with atorvastatin. In spite of the strong anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of atorvastatin on epidermal cell proliferation, it was identified that the same doses of atorvastatin in DMBA-initiated and croton oil-promoted skin tumorgenesis in mice increased the incidence of tumors and their conversion into malignant carcinoma. The reasons for these discrepancies remain unclear, and could be related to ambivalent effects of atorvastatin on angiogenesis or to specific differences in the experimental conditions. It is suggested that the pro-angiogenic effect of the drug, which could be responsible for promotion of skin tumors, is independent of the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibition that can be mediated directly by atorvastatin