Ameliorative Role of Momordica charantia in Partial Abdominal Aortic Constriction Induced Experimental Cardiac Hypertrophy

Abstract

The present study has been designed to explore the beneficial effect of Momordica charantia in partial abdominal aortic constriction (PAAC) induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats. The male wistar rats were anaesthetized with thiopentone sodium and were subjected to Partial Abdominal Aortic Constriction (PAAC) for 4 weeks. The treatment with ethanolic extract of Momordica Charantia (EMC) (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) was started three days before surgery and it was continued for 4 weeks after surgery. The development of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy was assessed by measuring ratio of LV weight to body weight (LVW/BW), LV wall thickness (LVWT), LV protein content, LV collagen content and LV RNA concentration. Further mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) was recorded. Moreover, DNA gel electrophoresis was employed to assess the myocardial cell death. The PAAC significantly increased the ratio of LV weight to body weight, LV wall thickness, LV protein content, LV collagen content and LV RNA concentration. Further PAAC significantly increased MABP and myocardial cell death. The EMC (400mg/kg) markedly attenuated PAAC induced increase in LV hypertrophy, MABP and LV necrotic cell death. These results implicate ameliorative role of Momordica Charantia in PAAC induced myocardial cell death and pathological cardiac hypertrophy.