Abstract
BACKGROUND Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) fruit is a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of digestive system and cardiovascular diseases. The fruit contains polyphenol compounds, such as epicatechin, that have anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an alcohol extract of hawthorn fruit (HAE) on inflammation and oxidative stress in rats with doxorubicin-induced chronic heart failure (CHF). MATERIAL AND METHODS Rats were intraperitoneally injected with doxorubicin to induce CHF and subsequently treated with HAE intragastrically once daily for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters were assessed, and enzyme-linked immunoassays were used to detect the levels of cardiac injury markers (brain natriuretic peptide, creatine kinase-MB, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, copeptin, and adrenomedullin), oxidative stress markers (glutathione peroxidase and malondialdehyde), and inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, IL-1ß, and tumor necrosis factor-a). The IL-1ß, IL-6, glutathione peroxidase-1, and catalase mRNA levels were also measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS Our findings indicated that HAE exerts a cardioprotective effect, as shown by improved echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters, decreased activity of serum myocardial enzymes, reduced serum levels of CHF markers, and inhibited inflammatory response in cardiac tissue. In addition, HAE treatment downregulated the mRNA expression of IL-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and upregulated the mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase-1 and catalase compared with untreated doxorubicin-induced CHF rats. CONCLUSIONS HAE shows promise for the prevention and treatment of CHF. The cardioprotective effect of HAE appears to be related to inhibition of both the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in vivo.