Elettaria cardamomum extract counteracts cardio-hematological and immunological alterations of Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats

Background and objective As Elettaria cardamomum possesses wide phytochemical and biological activities; therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the ameliorating efficiency of Elettaria cardamomum ethanolic extract (ECEE) in Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Materials and methods Male rats (150–180 g) were arranged into four groups (8 rats/group) as: (1) normal rats act as control, (2) normal rats daily ingested with ECEE (100 mg/kg, dissolved in water) four 28 days, (3) rats cardio-intoxicated intraperitoneally with Doxorubicin (DOX) at a dose 2.5 mg/kg on alternate days for 14 days and (4) cardio-intoxicated rats treated orally with ECEE for 28 days. Results and conclusion After 28 days of treatment, the results revealed that ECEE restored the cardiological, hematological, and immunological deteriorations induced by Doxorubicin; this was evidenced by the significant reduction of serum aminotransaminases (ALAT and ASAT), lactate dehydrogenase, creatin kinase MB, total cholesterol, triglycerides, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1β, caspase-3 and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells as well as cardiac malondialdehyde, nitric oxide levels and cardiac DNA-fragmentation coupled with marked improvement in cardiac reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Hematological indices and hemoglobin derivatives were markedly restored. Moreover, the ECEE induced prominent cardio-histological regeneration. In conclusion, ECEE possessed anti-cardio-hematotoxicities exhibition that could be performed through the radical scavenging and antioxidant characteristics of its active constituent’s especially high phenolic content, reflecting the promising potency of ECEE as cardio protective supplement.