Piperine effectively protects primary cultured atrial myocytes from oxidative damage in the infant rabbit model.

Piperine is an important active component of the Chinese herb Large leaf moss. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of piperine on oxidative stress. An oxidative stress model was developed in rabbit atrial cells treated with low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). A primary cell culture of the atrial cells was established and the cells were randomly divided into three groups: A piperine group, an H2O2 group and a control group. The results demonstrated that the cell viability and superoxide dismutase activity in the piperine group were significantly higher than in the H2O2 group (P<0.05), and the expression levels of malondialdehyde and glutathione were significantly reduced in the piperine group compared with the H2O2 group (P<0.05). The intracellular free calcium concentration and the expression level of mitochondrial mRNA in the piperine group were also significantly lower than in the H2O2 group (P<0.05). In conclusion, piperine was important in protecting the primary rabbit atrial cells from oxidative stress.