Cardioprotective activity of silymarin in ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial infarction in albino rats.

Background: There is comprehensive experimental and clinical evidence that either exogenous supplementation of natural antioxidants or augmentation of endogenous antioxidants attenuates myocardial infarction.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of chronic administration of silymarin against ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial infarction in rats.

Methods: Silymarin was administered orally to Wistar albino rats (200 g to 250 g) in three different doses (100 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg), by gastric gavage for one week. At the end of this period, control (ischemia-reperfusion) groups and silymarin-treated groups were subjected to 30 min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery and thereafter reperfused for 4 h.

Results: Ischemia-reperfusion resulted in significant cardiac necrosis, indicated by elevated levels of serum marker enzymes such as serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase-isoenzyme and creatine kinase. A significant rise in the end products of myocardial lipid peroxides (malondialdehydes [MDAs]), loss of antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase and reduced glutathione) and increased levels of myeloperoxidase in heart tissue were observed in the animals subjected to in vivo myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Infarct size was measured by using the staining agent 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride. A lead II electrocardiogram was monitored at various intervals throughout the experiment.

Discussion: The present study showed that silymarin protected the endogenous antioxidant enzymes, suppressed the neutrophil infiltration during ischemia-reperfusion and limited the infarct size, with concomitant reduction in serum MDA, tissue MDA and serum marker enzymes in rats subjected to 30 min coronary artery occlusion followed by 4 h of reperfusion. Pretreatment with silymarin also protected rat hearts from a further drop in mean arterial blood pressure during reperfusion, and restored heart rate at the end of the reperfusion period.

Conclusions: The present study suggests that the phytochemical silymarin has cardioprotective activity against ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial infarction in rats.