Effects of Hawthorn on the Progression of Heart Failure in a Rat Model of Aortic Constriction

• Published in: Pharmacotherapy 2009-06, Vol.29 (6), p.639-648
• Main Authors: Hwang, Hyun Seok, Boluyt, Marvin O., Converso, Kimber, Russell, Mark W., Bleske, Barry E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ANF; animal study; Animals; Aorta - physiopathology; atrial natriuretic factor; Atrial Natriuretic Factor - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - metabolism; Cardiology. Vascular system; Constriction, Pathologic - complications; Crataegus - chemistry; Crataegus oxycantha; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Echocardiography; fibronectin; Fibronectins - metabolism; hawthorn; Heart; heart failure; Heart Failure - drug therapy; Heart Failure - etiology; Heart failure, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, cardiac enlargement; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - drug therapy; left ventricular volume; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Time Factors; Ventricular Remodeling - drug effects
• ISSN: 0277-0008; 1875-9114
• DOI: 10.1592/phco.29.6.639

Study Objective. To determine the effects of hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha) on left ventricular remodeling and function in pressure overload‐induced heart failure in an animal model. Design. Randomized, parallel, dose‐ranging animal study. Setting. University research facility. Animals. Seventy‐four male Sprague‐Dawley rats; 44 were included in the final analysis. Intervention. Rats underwent a sham operation or aortic constriction. Rats subjected to the sham operation were treated with vehicle (10% agar‐agar), and those subjected to aortic constriction were treated with vehicle or hawthorn (C. oxycantha special extract WS 1442) 1.3, 13, or 130 mg/kg for 5 months. Measurements and Main Results. Rats and their hearts were weighed, and echocardiographic measurements were performed at baseline and at 2, 3, 4, and 5 months after aortic constriction. Protein expression for markers of fibrosis and for atrial natriuretic factor was also measured. Aortic constriction increased the left ventricular:body weight ratio by 53% in vehicle‐treated rats; Hawthorn treatment did not significantly affect the aortic constriction‐induced increase in this ratio. Left ventricular volumes and dimensions at systole and diastole significantly increased 5 months after aortic constriction compared with baseline in rats given vehicle (> 20% increase, p