Studies on the antioxidant effects of the extract of Herba leonuri, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, on ischemic rat myocardium after acute myocardial infarction

To test the hypothesis that the extract of Herba leonuri (HL) has antioxidant and cardioprotective effects on ischemic myocardium. Male Wistar rats were subjected to permanent ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery and the extract of HL (400mg/kg/day) were administered orally (daily) started from 1 week before and continued till 3 weeks after surgery. Surviving rats were sacrificed at different time points (30min, 2h, 4h, 6h, 1d, 1w, and 3w) to obtain left ventricles for biochemical assays. Our study demonstrates for the first time that HL does have antioxidant effects both in vitro and in vivo (in an animal model of myocardial infarction). The antioxidant effects of HL is exerted only under the condition of oxidative stress by selectively preserving the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase as well as depressing the formation of MDA especially in the acute phase of acute myocardial infarction. We believe that its effects on scavenging free radicals and inhibiting the formation of reactive oxygen species may play a key role in protecting endogenous antioxidant system from oxidative stress in vivo.

Author dc:creator

• SUN JIAN

• acute myocardial infarction, glutathione peroxidase, Herba leonuri, lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, superoxide dismutase