Cardiotonic and Anti Ischemic Reperfusion Injury Effect of Desmodium Gangeticum Root Methanol Extract

Objectives: Anti ischemic reperfusion effect of crude methanol extract of Desmodium gangeticum root had been reported earlier but how is modulating its cardiotonic effect to render cardio-protection is largely unknown. Methods: The inotropic effect of methanol extract of Desmodium gangeticum root was investigated on isolated frog heart and further analyzed the physiological and biochemical effects in isolated rat hearts. Global ischemia (30min) and reperfusion (45min) were modeled in-vitro condition by using Langendorff perfusion apparatus. Results: Our results indicate that methanol extract of Desmodium gangeticum root showed a dose dependent negative inotropic and chronotropic effect on isolated frog heart and mimetic acetylcholine like action. In the isolated rat heart model for ischemia reperfusion injury, the results from different biochemical and physiological effect of Desmodium gangeticum root suggested the cardio-protective nature of the herbal extract that acts similar to acetylcholine (G protein agonist). Moreover, GS/MS result of Desmodium gangeticum root shows the presence of 4-[2-(dimethylamino) ethyl] phenol, a G protein agonist and α-asarone, a potent antioxidant. Conclusions: The above results suggest that Desmodium gangeticum root extract mediates the cardio protection in ischemic reperfusion injury model in rat heart through negative inotropic and chronotropic effect by stimulating the G coupled receptors similar to the action of acetylcholine.