Emphasizing the Cardioprotective Efficacy of Basella alba in an In vivo Model of Isoproterenol-Induced Cardiac Injury

Purpose of the Study: This study provides valuable insights into the cardioprotective effects of Basella alba in a rat model of isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction (MI). The focus of the research was to explore how the methanolic extract of Basella alba (MEBA) can influence myocardial injury markers, oxidative stress, and inflammation, offering a potential natural therapeutic approach for MI. Materials and Methods: The study uses a rat model where thirty male Wistar rats are divided into five groups. These groups include a control group, an MI-induced group with isoproterenol, and treatment groups receiving atenolol and two different doses of MEBA 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg.,p.o. The animals are treated for 30 days before being administered isoproterenol, which is known to induce myocardial infarction by disrupting coronary blood flow and causing cardiac tissue damage. Results: Markers of myocardial injury such as LDH, CPK, AST, and ALT, were significantly reduced (p<0.001) in the extract-treated groups, compared with the negative control group, suggesting that MEBA can effectively mitigate myocardial damage following an ischemic event. The antioxidant enzyme activities like SOD, MDA and CAT were enhanced significantly (p<0.001) in the treated groups, while lipid peroxidation was reduced significantly (p<0.001) when compared to the negative control in both serum and heart tissue homogenate samples. Histological analysis revealed reduced myocardial damage in the groups treated with Basella alba, especially in comparison to the untreated MI group, where significant tissue damage and necrosis were observed. This underscores the potential tissue-protective effects of the extract. Conclusion: The study suggests that the methanolic extract of Basella alba has significant cardioprotective properties, reducing both myocardial injury and oxidative stress markers in an isoproterenol-induced MI rat model.