Cardioprotective effect of a chronic treatment of Ginkgo biloba Phytosomes in isoproterenol-induced cardiac necrosis in rats : Involvement of antioxidant system

The present study investigates the cardioprotective effect and antioxidant activity of a chronic treatment of Ginkgo biloba Phytosomes (GBP) in isoproterenol (ISO) induced cardiac necrosis in rats. Pretreatment of GBP 100 mg/kg daily for 30 & 45 days to rats treated with ISO (85 mg/kg, s.c) on the last 2 days, resulted in a significant cardioprotective activity reflected by attenuation of the ISO-elevated levels of serum marker enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase & creatine phosphokinase) and malondialdehyde, and restoration of the activities and levels of the ISO-depleted marker enzymes, reduced glutathione and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase & glutathione reductase) in the heart. However, oral administration of GBP 200 mg/kg to ISO treated rats exhibited lesser cardioprotective effect than GBP 100 mg/kg. It may be concluded that GBP 100 mg/kg oral treatment to ISO challenged rats augments endogenous antioxidants of rat heart, enhances scavenging of free radicals and inhibits lipid peroxidation of membrane, thereby salvaging the myocardium from the deleterious effects of ISO.