Biochemical Profiling and Cardioprotective Potential of Various Combinations of Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the most dreaded menace and its incidences are increasing gradually. Although many of the major and minor risk factors impart a crucial role in the onset of MI, however the hypertension and hyperlipidemia are its major risk factors. In spite of significant pharmacological advancements regarding drug development has been made, but most of the available drugs have a long list of side effects which limit their use in clinical medicine. Hence there is a dire need to integrate complementary and alternative medications into the practice of conventional medicines, for the treatment of MI. The research was planned to be carried out into two sections including in vitro and in vivo analysis. In vitro analysis involved the screening of medicinal plants by Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibition assay. Among all the selected medicinal plants, methanolic extracts of Terminalia arjuna, Piper nigrum, Coriandrum sativum, Allium sativum, Rauvolfia serpentina, Eletaria cardamom and Crataegus oxyacantha showed maximum ACE inhibition potential. These medicinal plants were further subjected to LC-MS analysis which proved the existence of vital phytoconstituents and phenolic acids in extracts. The antioxidant execution of selected medicinal plants has performed by DPPH and DNA protection assay. The dose dependant response for antioxidative potential i.e, the activity of all the medicinal plants in term of % age inhibition increased with increase in concentration. The toxicity assay of selected medicinal plants exhibited no hemolytic effect and considered to be safe herbal product for effective fighting against various diseases. Section- II comprised of In vivo analysis was conducted in three phases. The phase-I included the preliminary trial, in which the RSM optimized the dose of salbutamol (80 mg/kg b. wt.) to induce myocardial infarction. In phase-II, the optimal concentrations of selected medicinal plants were evaluated against salbutamol induced myocardial infarction by using Response Surface Methodology. In case of Phase-III, the optimized doses of selected medicinal plants were used to formulate four different herbal combinations with appropriate ratio. The herbal combination (HC4) showed maximum restoration of cardiac markers (CK-MB, AST and LDH) and haemodynamic parameters (MAP, HR, LVEDP). The histopathological examination also confirmed the cardioprotective potential of HC4. Thus the HC4 being safe, inexpensive and cardioprotective herbal combination, could be considered an alternate of synthetic drug.