CARDIOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF PERSEA AMERICANA MILL FRUIT EXTRACT IN EXPERIMENTAL MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the protective effect of avocado fruit extract (AVOE) and elucidate its mechanisms on isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction in rats. The biochemical markers for myocardial infarction, antioxidant status on heart tissue, the histopathological examination of heart tissue and the genes expressions levels of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were all evaluated. Pretreatment with avocado followed by isoproterenol injection significantly prevented almost all the parameters of isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction. Result s were confirmed by the histopathological examinat ion. No significant change was observed in the baseline group. Avocado pretreatment upregulated the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, whereas expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were downregulated in isoproterenol-treated rats. This suggests that the protective effects of avocado fruit extract may be mediated through upregulation of nitric oxide production, antioxidant mechanisms, and its ability to inhibit TNF-α and NF-kB.