Effect of Curcuma longa and Ocimum sanctum on myocardial apoptosis in experimentally induced myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury.
BACKGROUND
In the present investigation, the effect of Curcuma longa (Cl) and Ocimum sanctum (Os) on myocardial apoptosis and cardiac function was studied in an ischemia and reperfusion (I-R) model of myocardial injury.


METHODS
Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups and orally fed saline once daily (sham, control IR) or Cl (100 mg/kg; Cl-IR) or Os (75 mg/kg; Os-IR) respectively for 1 month. On the 31st day, in the rats of the control IR, Cl-IR and Os-IR groups LAD occlusion was undertaken for 45 min, and reperfusion was allowed for 1 h. The hemodynamic parameters{mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), left ventricular peak positive (+) LVdP/dt (rate of pressure development) and negative (-) LVdP/dt (rate of pressure decline)} were monitored at pre-set points throughout the experimental duration and subsequently, the animals were sacrificed for immunohistopathological (Bax, Bcl-2 protein expression & TUNEL positivity) and histopathological studies.


RESULTS
Chronic treatment with Cl significantly reduced TUNEL positivity (p < 0.05), Bax protein (p < 0.001) and upregulated Bcl-2 (p < 0.001) expression in comparison to control IR group. In addition, Cl demonstrated mitigating effects on several myocardial injury induced hemodynamic {(+)LVdP/dt, (-) LVdP/dt & LVEDP} and histopathological perturbations. Chronic Os treatment resulted in modest modulation of the hemodynamic alterations (MAP, LVEDP) but failed to demonstrate any significant antiapoptotic effects and prevent the histopathological alterations as compared to control IR group.


CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, significant cardioprotection and functional recovery demonstrated by Cl may be attributed to its anti-apoptotic property. In contrast to Os, Cl may attenuate cell death due to apoptosis and prevent the impairment of cardiac performance.
Mohanty
Ipseeta
I
Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi-110029, India. ipseetamohanty@yahoo.co.in
Arya
Dharamvir Singh
DS
Gupta
Suresh Kumar
SK
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D030024:Curcuma; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D007545:Isoproterenol; D008297:Male; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017682:Myocardial Stunning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D031339:Ocimum; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015854:Up-Regulation; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D010936:Plant Extracts; D028321:Plant Preparations; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D007545:Isoproterenol