Cardioprotective effects of Viscum album L. ssp. album (Loranthaceae) on isoproterenol-induced heart failure via regulation of the nitric oxide pathway in rats

• Published in: Anatolian journal of cardiology 2016-12, Vol.16 (12), p.923-930
• Main Authors: Karagöz, Ahmet, Kesici, Sevgi, Vural, Aslı, Usta, Murat, Tezcan, Berna, Semerci, Tuna, Teker, Erhan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original Investigation
• ISSN: 2149-2263; 2149-2271
• DOI: 10.14744/AnatolJCardiol.2016.6780

Viscum album L. has favorable cardiovascular effects including antihypertensive and vasorelaxant activity, and the nitric oxide (NO) pathway upregulation has been proposed to be the underlying mechanism. NO also plays an important role in the pathophysiology of heart failure. However, its effects on cardiac systolic function are unclear. A total of 30 male Wistar albino rats at 12 weeks of age were randomly divided into three groups: control, isoproterenol-induced heart failure group (ISO), and isoproterenol-induced heart failure + V. album treatment group (VA) groups (n=10 in each group). V. album was orally given at a dose of 250 mg/kg/day by gavage. Parameters of heart failure were compared among the groups. Tamhane's T2 test, paired sample t-test, and Bonferroni methods were used for statistical analysis. V. album resulted in an improvement in all parameters of heart failure including left ventricular diameters (6.34±0.23 mm, 6.98±0.35 mm, and 6.71±0.10 mm for left ventricular end-diastolic diameter in control, ISO, and VA groups, respectively, p