Protective effect of Artemisia afra Jacq. on isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury in Wistar rats

Artemisia afra Jacq. ex Willd. is a widely used medicinal plant in South Africa for the treatment of various diseases. In this study, the effect of the herb on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial injury in rats was investigated. Pretreatment with the aqueous leaf extract of the plant at 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight for 30 days prevented the elevation of serum marker enzymes namely lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in myocardial injured rats. ISO-induced animals exhibited decreased levels of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxides (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in the heart, which were restored to near normal levels following treatment with the herb. The extract also attenuated lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the heart and improved the imbalance in lipid profile caused by ISO. The effect was more prominent at 200 mg/kg body weight. These findings revealed the cardioprotective effect of A. afra against isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury.