Lavandula reduces heart injury via attenuating tumor necrosis factor-alpha and oxidative stress in a rat model of infarct-like myocardial injury

Objective: Lavender is used in herbal medicine for different therapeutic purposes. Nonetheless, potential therapeutic effects of this plant in ischemic heart disease and its possible mechanisms remain to be investigated

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, lavender oil at doses of 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg was administered through gastric gavage for 14 days before infarct-like myocardial injury [MI]. The carotid artery and left ventricle were cannulated to record arterial blood pressure [BP] and cardiac function. At the end of experiment, the heart was removed and histopathological alteration, oxidative stress biomarkers as well as tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-alpha] level were evaluated

Results: Induction of M.I caused cardiac dysfunction, increased levels of lipid peroxidation, TNF-alpha and troponin I in heart tissue [P<0.001]. Pretreatment with lavender oil at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly reduced myocardial injury, troponin I and TNF-alpha. In addition, it improved cardiac function and antioxidant enzyme activity [P<0.01]

Conclusion: Our finding showed that lavender oil has cardioprotective effect through inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory pathway in the rat model with infarct-like MI. We suggest that lavender oil may be helpful in prevention or attenuation of heart injury in patients with high risk of myocardial infarction and/or ischemic heart disease

Acetyl salicylic acid resistance in patients with chronic stable angina and the correlation with coronary risk factors

To evaluate acetyl salicylic acid [ASA] resistance in patients with cardiovascular diseases and evaluate correlation with coronary risk factors. One hundred and twenty-four patients with stable coronary artery diseases [CAD] were enrolled in this cross sectional study from the outpatient clinic of the Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran, between May 2008 and August 2008. All patients had prior history of cardiovascular disease and were under treatment of 80 mg daily ASA for at least 7 days. Aspirin resistance was measured by urinary 11-dehydro-thromboxane beta-concentrations with an enzyme immunoassay kit. Approximately 49.2% patients were resistant to ASA, 15.3% borderline response, and 35.5% were sensitive to ASA. Acetyl salicylic acid-resistant patients were more likely to be smokers and older ages [63% versus 45.4%] [37.7% less than 60 years, 53.7% between 60-69 years, and 63.3% aged >/= 70 years]. Other variables such as gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein [HDL], low-density lipoprotein [LDL], and hemoglobin levels were not significantly associated with aspirin resistance. Acetyl salicylic acid resistance was present in a high number of patients with chronic stable angina. Moreover, advanced age and smoking had a direct influence on the aspirin resistance