Effects of hawthorn on cardiac remodeling and left ventricular dysfunction after 1 month of pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Hawthorn (Crataegus) is a natural product used to treat patients with heart failure. The effects of hawthorn on cardiac remodeling, however, are not known. The purpose was to determine the effects of hawthorn treatment on remodeling and function of the left ventricle (LV) after 1 month of pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy.


METHODS
Sprague-Dawley rats (male, 300 g) were subjected to sham operation (SH) or aortic constriction (AC) for 4 weeks and treated with Hawthorn (Crataegus-Extract- WS1442;1.3, 13, 130 mg kg(-1) day(-1); AC-L, AC-M, AC-H) or vehicle (SH-V, AC-V) for 3 weeks after surgery. Systolic and diastolic function were measured using echocardiographic assessment at baseline and 4 weeks after AC.


RESULTS
AC increased the LV/body weight ratio by 34% in vehicle and hawthorn treated rats. Hawthorn markedly reduced LV chamber volumes (VOL) after AC [systolic VOL, mean +/- SEM, mm(3): SH-V, 87 +/- 13; AC-V, 93 +/- 12; AC-L, 62 +/- 9; AC-M, 68 +/- 12; AC-H; 50 +/- 11 and diastolic VOL: SH-V, 433 +/- 45; AC-V, 412 +/- 57; AC-L, 313 +/- 25; AC-M, 319 +/- 37; AC-H, 264 +/- 25 (p < 0.05)] and augmented relative wall thickness, mm: SH-V, 0.45 +/- 0.02; AC-V, 0.65 +/- 0.05; AC-L, 0.71 +/- 0.03; AC-M, 0.74 +/- 0.06; AC-H, 0.80 +/- 0.09 (p < 0.05). AC reduced velocity of circumferential shortening (Vcf(c)) by 28% compared with SH-V. Hawthorn attenuated the AC-induced decrease in Vcf(c) (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Hawthorn treatment modifies left ventricular remodeling and counteracts myocardial dysfunction in early pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy.
Hwang
Hyun Seok
HS
Division of Kinesiology, Laboratory of Molecular Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Bleske
Barry E
BE
Ghannam
Michael M J
MM
Converso
Kimber
K
Russell
Mark W
MW
Hunter
James C
JC
Boluyt
Marvin O
MO
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000188:drug therapy*; D027825:Crataegus / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004452:Echocardiography; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects
D010936:Plant Extracts