Cardioprotective effect of methanolic extract of <i>Marrubium vulgare </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">L<i>.</i> on isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction in rats<span style="font-size: 13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span>

Abstract

Isoproterenol injection (100 mg/kg; sc) produced changes in ECG pattern including ST-segment elevation and suppressed R-amplitude. The methanolic extract of <i>M. vulgare</i> at doses of 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg significantly amended the ECG changes. A severe myocardial necrosis and edematous along with a sharp reduction in the arterial blood pressure, left ventricular contractility (LVdP/dt_{max or min}), but a marked increase in the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) were seen in the isoproterenol group. All parameters were significantly improved by the extract treatment. The <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt" lang="EN-GB">extract (10 mg/kg) strongly increased LVdP/dt_max. Similarly, treatment with 40 mg/kg of <i>M. vulgare</i> lowered the elevated LVEDP and the heart to body weight ratio. In addition to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">in vitro</i> antioxidant activity, the extract suppressed markedly the elevation of malondialdehyde levels both in serum and in myocardium. The results demonstrate that <i>M. vulgare </i>protects myocardium against isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction and suggest that the effects could be related to antioxidant activities.

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