Cardiac stimulant activity of bark and wood of Premna serratifolia

Cardiovascular disease incurs a greater economical constraint than any other illness especially in the developing countries. It is the most common cause of death by the year 2020. The risk factors for heart disease are family history, sex, increased lipid levels, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and cigarette smoking. There is overwhelming evidence indicating hypercholesterolemia and other lipid abnormalities as major risk factors in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Therefore, cardiovascular disease becomes a very common problem in the affluent societies related to their life style (Trivedi, 2004). In developed countries, coronary vascular diseases now constitute the principal cause of human mortality. Not surprisingly, therefore, this is an intensive research, not entirely devoted to treatment, but also to the prevention of these diseases. Many factors affect the complex regulation of the heart and there is a large group of drugs which will affect the heart’s performance, often in a manner not directly associated with the heart muscle itself. However, the therapeutic use of drugs for the treatment of the failing heart is confined to a small group of glycosides that act directly on the heart muscle (Evans, 1996). Cardiovascular disorder leads to variety of pathological changes including endothelial, pulmonary, hepatic, renal, endocrine, A Journal of the Bangladesh Pharmacological Society (BDPS) Bangladesh J Pharmacol 2008; 3: 107-113 Journal homepage: www.banglajol.info; www.bdjpharmacol.com Indexed in Bangladesh Journals Online, Directory of Open Access Journals, Google Scholar and HINARI ISSN: 1991-007X (Print); 1991-0088 (Online); DOI: 10.3329/bjp.v3i2.952