Methanolic extract of Cleome droserifolia mitigates epinephrine-induced cardiac injury

Ethnopharmacological relevance Cleome droserifolia treatment has potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory potentials, which can help recover the general health status. Aim of the study This research aims to estimate the potential cardioprotective properties of the methanolic extract of Cleome droserifolia (MEC) against epinephrine-induced cardiac injury (MI) in rats. Materials and methods Thirty-six male Wistar rats were separated equally into 6 groups. The control group (Cont) received oral distilled water for 30 uninterrupted days and was administered subcutaneous saline on the 31st and 32nd days. The MEC 100 group received MEC 100mg/kg, P.O., for 30 uninterrupted days and administered subcutaneous saline on the 31st and 32nd days. The MEC 200 group received MEC 200mg/kg, P.O. for 30 uninterrupted days and subcutaneous saline was administered on the 31st and 32nd days. The epinephrine group (EP) received distilled water orally for 30 uninterrupted days and administered subcutaneous epinephrine (2mg/kg, s.c.) divided into two doses (1mg/kg, s.c) each on the 31st and 32nd days. MEC 100+Ep group received MEC 100mg/kg, P.O., for 30 uninterrupted days and administered subcutaneous epinephrine (2mg/kg, s.c.) divided into two doses (1mg/kg, s.c) each on the 31st and 32nd days. The MEC 200+EP received MEC 200mg/kg, P.O. for 30 uninterrupted days and administered subcutaneous epinephrine (2mg/kg, s.c.) divided into two doses (1mg/kg, s.c) each on the 31st and 32nd days. Electrocardiography (ECG), biochemical, oxidative stress, inflammatory mediators, histopathological, immunohistochemical analysis and the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT) were assessed. Results MEC reversed epinephrine-induced lessening of heart rate, prolonged QT interval and ST displacement. Pretreatment with MEC significantly reduced serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) levels in MI rats. The MEC pretreatment promoted total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione (GSH), and total oxidant status (TOS). In addition, it reduced interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde (MDA), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α) in MI rats. Furthermore, MEC statistically reduced immunohistochemical promotion of nuclear factor–κB (NF-κB) and expression of AKT and PI3K in cardiac tissue and perfected histopathological changes. Conclusion The MEC, rich in phenolic and flavonoid contents, had a cardioprotective effect on rats suffering from epinephrine-induced MI. Such effect was achieved via improving cardiac function, antioxidant status, attenuating ECG pattern and histological picture, as well as reducing IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and NF-κB, which its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential may partly arbitrate.