title: Protective effects of the standardized extract of Zingiber officinale on myocardium against isoproterenol-induced biochemical and histopathological alterations in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ginger [Zingiber officinale Roscoe. (Zingiberaceae)] has been universally used as a spice as well as for its health benefits.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study evaluates the protective effect of the standardized extract of ginger against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction (MI) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were pretreated orally with three doses of standardized ginger extract (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of body weight) or propranolol (5 mg/mL) for 28 d prior to ISO (85 mg/kg) induced MI in two doses on days 29 and 30. The rats were sacrificed 48 h after the first induction; serum and hearts were collected for biochemical and histopathological analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gingerols and shogaols were identified and quantitatively analyzed in the extracts using validated reversed phase HPLC methods. Pretreatment with ginger extract at 400 mg/kg showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in all the cardiac enzyme activities, i.e., cardiac troponin I (cTnI) (0.57 ng/mL), creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) (10.34 pg/mL), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (115.22 U/L), alanine transaminase (ALT) (15.79 U/L), and aspartate transaminase (AST) (46.72 U/L) when compared with ISO-control rats. There were significant rises (p < 0.05) in the activity of glutathione peroxide (GPx) (53.16 U/L), catalase (CAT) (210.41 U/L), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (280.89 U/mL) of the pretreated rats when compared with the ISO-control. Histopathological examination showed an improvement in membrane cell integrity in pretreated rats compared with untreated rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ethanol extract of ginger exhibited cardioprotective potential in treating myocardial injury following ISO administration.
authors: Faculty of Pharmacy, Drug and Herbal Research Center, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.
authors: Athirah Z
authors: AZ
authors: Amran
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Jantan
authors: Roza
authors: R
authors: Dianita
authors: Fhataheya
authors: F
authors: Buang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020939:Zingiber officinale; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D007545:Isoproterenol
keywords: Cardioprotective effect; gingerols; myocardial infarction; oxidative stress; serum marker enzymes; shogaols