The effect of asafoetida essential oil on myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts.

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies reported that asafetida from Linn. species and its essential oil (AEO) have antioxidant effects. In the present study, the effect of AEO was evaluated on ischemic-reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: 1) control group, 2) vehicle group, 3-5) AEO groups and, 6) carvedilol group. In the control group, hearts were only subjected to 30-min global ischemia followed by 120-min reperfusion. Hearts in other groups were perfused with vehicle (Tween 0.1%), AEO (0.125, 0.25 or 0.50 µL/g heart) or carvedilol (10 µM) for 5 min immediately before the induction of ischemia.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, myocardial dysfunction was significantly more severe only in group 5 in which a significant increase in left ventricular end diastolic pressure and a significant decrease in left ventricular developed pressure and ± dp/dt. Also, the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase as the markers of myocardial injury were significantly higher only in group 5 compared to control group. The size of infarct and the incidence of irreversible fibrillation did not show any significant differences between the control group and groups 3-5.

CONCLUSION

These results showed that perfusion of isolated rat hearts with AEO 0.5 µL/g heart, but not at lower concentrations, might worsen myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury.