title: Bacopa monnieri extract increases rat coronary flow and protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study explored Bacopa monnieri, a medicinal Ayurvedic herb, as a cardioprotectant against ischemia/reperfusion injury using cardiac function and coronary flow as end-points.
  
  
  METHODS
  In normal isolated rat hearts, coronary flow, left ventricular developed pressure, heart rate, and functional recovery were measured using the Langendorff preparation. Hearts were perfused with either (i) Krebs-Henseleit (normal) solution, (control), or with 30, 100 μg/ml B. monnieri ethanolic extract (30 min), or (ii) with normal solution or extract for 10 min preceding no-perfusion ischemia (30 min) followed by reperfusion (30 min) with normal solution. Infarct volumes were measured by triphenyltetrazolium staining. L-type Ca2+-currents (ICa, L) were measured by whole-cell patching in HL-1 cells, a mouse atrial cardiomyocyte cell line. Cytotoxicity of B. monnieri was assessed in rat isolated ventricular myocytes by trypan blue exclusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normally perfused hearts, B. monnieri increased coronary flow by 63 ± 13% (30 μg/ml) and 216 ± 21% (100 μg/ml), compared to control (5 ± 3%) (n = 8-10, p < 0.001). B. monnieri treatment preceding ischemia/reperfusion improved left ventricular developed pressure by 84 ± 10% (30 μg/ml), 82 ± 10% (100 μg/ml) and 52 ± 6% (control) compared to pre- ischemia/reperfusion. Similarly, functional recovery showed a sustained increase. Moreover, B. monnieri (100 μg/ml) reduced the percentage of infarct size from 51 ± 2% (control) to 25 ± 2% (n = 6-8, p < 0.0001). B. monnieri (100 μg/ml) reduced ICa, Lby 63 ± 4% in HL-1 cells. Ventricular myocyte survival decreased at higher concentrations (50-1000 μg/ml) B. monnieri.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  B. monnieri improves myocardial function following ischemia/reperfusion injury through recovery of coronary blood flow, contractile force and decrease in infarct size. Thus this may lead to a novel cardioprotectant strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.|Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sirintorn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srimachai
authors.affiliation: PEPITE EA4267, University Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, F-25000, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Devaux
authors.affiliation: PEPITE EA4267, University Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, F-25000, France.
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demougeot
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.|Biomedical Research Unit in Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sarawut
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumphune
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bühlplatz 5, Bern, CH-3012, Switzerland.|Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.
authors.forename: Nina D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Ullrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bühlplatz 5, Bern, CH-3012, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Niggli
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Kornkanok
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ingkaninan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.|School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Natakorn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamkaew
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
authors.forename: C Norman
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Scholfield
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sompol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tapechum
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand. krongkarnc@nu.ac.th.
authors.forename: Krongkarn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chootip
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D034681:Bacopa; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects*; D017725:Ventricular Pressure
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents
keywords: Bacopa monnieri; Brahmi; Cardiac function; Coronary blood flow; Heart; Ischemia/reperfusion; Myocardial infarction