Oleuropein attenuates the progression of heart failure in rats by antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects

Abstract Much of the beneficial effects of olive products have been attributed to oleuropein. This study examined the effects of oleuropein in rats with heart failure induced by permanent ligation of left coronary arteries. Twenty-four hours after the operation, the rats were assigned to five groups including a sham assigned to receive vehicle (1 ml/day) and four coronary ligated groups assigned to receive vehicle or oleuropein at 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg/day. Five weeks later, echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters, serum concentrations of oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers were determined. Myocardial infarction group receiving vehicle showed impaired hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters as evidenced by decreased left ventricular systolic pressure, rate of rise and decrease of left ventricular pressure, stroke volume, ejection fraction, and cardiac output. In addition, significant reduction in superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase was observed. Oleuropein treatment prevented the reduction of these variables. Moreover, the group had a significantly higher infarct size and serum malondialdehyde, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α than those of the sham group. Treatment with oleuropein prevented the increase of these variables. The results show that oleuropein attenuates the progression of heart failure, possibly by antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects

The Possible Role of Nitric Oxide and Oxidative Stress in the Enhanced Apoptosis of Cardiac Cells in Cirrhotic Rats

Abstract- Cirrhosis has been related with hyperdynamic circulation, manifesting as increased cardiac output and decreased systemic vascular resistance. In the present study we examined the cirrhosis outcome on apoptosis of rat hearts. We also tried to explore the role of nitric oxide (NO) and oxidative stress in the probable changed apoptosis of cirrhotic hearts. Twenty eight days after ligation of bile duct, heart tissues were tested for apoptosis. The extent of malondialdehyde (MDA), and the activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) have been calculated in heart tissues. The cirrhotic hearts exhibited structural defects and greater apoptosis. Chronic treatment of cirrhotic rats with LNAME, a non-selective inhibitor of NO synthase, inhibited heart structural defects and reduced apoptosis of hearts. We also showed that cirrhotic rat hearts had an enhanced level of MDA and reduced activities of CAT, GSHPx and SOD. When the animals were treated by L-NAME chronically, the MDA level reduced and activities of CAT, GSHPx and SOD augmented in cirrhotic heart. In conclusion, increased apoptosis of cirrhotic hearts probably happen due to NO overproduction and increased oxidative stress in hearts of cirrhotic rats

Biological activities of secondary metabolites of the order Zoanthids

The phylum Cnidaria is a large, diverse and ecologically important group of marine invertebrates, which produce powerful toxins and venoms. The number of marine natural product from cnidarians isolated from class Anthozoa. Among the Anthozoa, the order of zoanthids are sessile, clonal and mostly brightly colored invertebrate which produce high biodiversity of cytolitic, neurotoxic and cardiotoxic compounds. Zoanthids containing palytoxins are reportedly among the most toxic marine organisms known. In addition, a high concentration of zoanthamine alkaloids extracted from this group.The zoanthamine alkaloids were isolated over 20 years ago, exhibit a broad range of biological activities.The best studied and most well-known biological activity of zoanthamine derivative significantly suppressed bone resorption and enhanced bone formation