CURCUMIN, OCIMUM SANCTUM AND GINKGO BILOBA IMPROVE HEMODYNAMIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND HISTOARCHITECTURAL ALTERATIONS IN ISOPROTERENOL INDUCED CARDIAC DAMAGE

Curcumin, Ginkgo biloba and Ocimum scantum are traditionally used for the treatment of cardiovascular and hepatic disorders. The effects of curcumin, Ginkgo biloba and Ocimum sanctum were studied [acute (4 days) and chronic (60 days)] alone and in combination (60 days) on isoproterenol (ISO) induced cardiac necrosis in rats. The antioxidant related paradigms viz. cardiac malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, and cardiac glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, catalase; serum biomarkers, and hemodynamics along with histoarchitecture alterations, were investigated in isoproterenol induced cardiac necrosis in rats. Significant elevation of serum markers; aspartate aminotransferase, lactic dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase, increased MDA formation and depletion of antioxidant enzymes along with significant hemodynamic alterations were observed in ISO induced cardiac necrosis in rats. Curcumin, Ginkgo biloba and Ocimum sanctum treatment reversed/ improved serum marker enzymes, elevated MDA, and restored the depleted antioxidants, hemodynamic alterations and histoarchitecture of the heart, both in acute as well as with chronic treatment. However, the combined chronic treatment of curcumin + Ocimum sanctum and Ginkgo biloba + Ocimum sanctum exhibited improvement in both cardiac antioxidants, serum biomarkers as well as hemodynamic and histoarchitecture alterations induced by ISO. Curcumin, Ocimum sanctum and Ginkgo biloba were found to elicit cardioprotective activity on ISO induced cardiac necrosis mainly though amelioration of oxidative stress and membrane stabilizing effect.