Sesamol attenuates isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction via inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 expression in rats.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The protective role of sesamol and its possible action against isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury and infarction is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that sesamol's protection against myocardial infarction is associated with the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9.

METHODS

Four groups of experimental rats were subcutaneously injected with sesamol (0, 1, 3, or 10 mg/kg) and then, 2 h later, intraperitoneally injected with isoproterenol (100 mg/kg 24 h apart on 2 consecutive days) to induce myocardial infarction. Control rats were treated with saline only. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and electrocardiography (ECG) wave durations, serum creatine phosphokinase isoenzymes (CKMB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), myocardial histology, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were assessed 24 h after the last dose of isoproterenol was given.

RESULTS

BP was lower, and HR, ECG wave durations, CKMB, LDH, myocardial injury, MMP-2, and MMP-9 levels were higher in experimental rats than in control rats. BP was significantly higher, and all the other parameters were significantly lower in the rats treated with sesamol than in those treated with isoproterenol only.

CONCLUSIONS

Sesamol effectively prevented myocardial infarction, at least in part, by controlling proteolytic activities and the expression of MMP-2 and -9 in isoproterenol-treated rats.