Berberine Protests the Heart from Ischemic Reperfusion Injury via Interference with Oxidative and Inflammatory Pathways.

BACKGROUND

Ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) is a pathological condition characterized by an initial restriction of blood supply to an organ followed by the subsequent restoration of perfusion and concomitant reoxygenation.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to assess the possible cardioprotective potential effect of berberine in myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury induced by ligation of coronary artery in a male rat model.

METHODS

Total amount of 28 adult male albino rats were randomized into 4 equal groups: 1) Sham group, rats underwent the same anesthetic and surgical procedure as the control group except for LAD ligation; 2), Active control group, rats subjected to regional ischemia for 30 min by ligation of LAD coronary artery and reperfusion for 2 hours, 3), Control vehicle group, rats received dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) (vehicle of berberine) via IP route and subjected to ischemia for 30 minutes before ligation of LAD coronary artery & reperfusion for 2 hr; 4), Berberine treated group, rats pretreated with berberine10 mg/kg via IP injection 30minutes before ligation of LAD coronary artery & then subjected to reperfusion for 2 hr.

RESULTS

In the control group, as compared with sham, tissue TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, caspase-3 and BAX, plasma cTn-T and serum MDA significantly increased (P<0.05), while serum GSH significantly decreased (P<0.05). The histopathological control group showed a significant cardiac injury (P<0.05) compared with the sham group. Berberine significantly counteracted (P<0.05) the increase of TNF-α, IL-6, caspase-3 and BAX and counteracted the increase in plasma cTn-T and serum MDA. Berberine produces a significant elevation (P<0.05) in cardiac IL-10 and serum GSH with a significant reduction in (P<0.05) cardiac injury.

CONCLUSION

Berberine attenuates myocardial I/R injury in male rats via interfering with inflammatory reactions and apoptosis which were induced by I/R injury.