Implication of Punica granatum Leaves in Experimental Cardiac Hypertrophy

The present study has been designed to explore the beneficial effect of Punica grantum leaves in experimental cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Punica granatum L., (Family: Punicaceae) is used in Indian Unani medicine for treatment of diabetes mellitus, cytotoxixity and in wound healing owing to its antioxidant activity. The male wistar rats were anaesthetized with thiopentone sodium and were subjected to Partial Abdominal Aortic Constriction (PAAC) for 4 weeks. The treatment with ethanolic extract of leaves of P. granatum (EPG) (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) was started three days before surgery and it was continued for 4 weeks after surgery. The development of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy was assessed by measuring ratio of LV weight to body weight (LVW/BW), LV wall thickness (LVWT), LV protein content, LV collagen content and LV RNA concentration. Further mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) was recorded. Moreover, oxidative stress in heart was measured by CK-MB and LDH estimation. The PAAC significantly increased the ratio of LV weight to body weight, LV wall thickness, LV protein content, LV collagen content and LV RNA concentration. Further PAAC significantly increased MABP and oxidative stress. The EPG (400mg/kg) markedly attenuated PAAC induced increase in LV hypertrophy, MABP and LV oxidative stress. These results implicate the role of Punica granatum leaves in PAAC induced oxidative stress and pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Keyword: Aortic Constriction, Cardiac Hypertrophy, Punica granatum.