Bacopa monniera augments endogenous antioxidants and attenuates myocardial injury

Bacopa monniera (Bm), commonly known as brahmi, is widely used in the Indian System of Medicine as a notropic agent. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of oral administration of Bm (25, 75 and 150 mg/kg) for 21 days on: (i) myocardial antioxidant system and (ii) oxidative stress induced by isoproterenol (ISP) in the rat heart. Oral administration of Bm (75 and 150 mg/kg) per se to healthy experimental rats for 21 days significantly augmented endogenous antioxidants and reduced basal lipid peroxidation (p<0.05). Hearts were also subjected to ISP (85 mg/kg), subcutaneously on 20 and 21 day. Significant myocyte injury, decline in antioxidant status and elevation in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels was observed in this group. Interestingly, ISP induced biochemical and histopathological perturbations were significantly prevented by Bm (75 mg/kg) pre-treatment. The results indicate that Bm (75 mg) administration causes myocardial adaptation and protects rat hearts from oxidative stress associated with ISP.