Ameliorating effect of rutin against diclofenac-induced cardiac injury in rats with underlying function of FABP3, MYL3, and ANP

Abstract

Diclofenac is a widely prescribed anti-inflammatory drug having cardiovascular complications as one of the main liabilities that restrict its therapeutic use. We aimed to investigate for any role of rutin against diclofenac-induced cardiac injury with underlying mechanisms as there is no such precedent to date. The effect of rutin (10 and 20 mg/kg) was evaluated upon concomitant oral administration for fifteen days with diclofenac (10 mg/kg). Rutin significantly attenuated diclofenac-induced alterations in the serum cardiac markers (LDH, CK-MB, and SGOT), serum cytokine levels (TNF-α and IL-6), and oxidative stress markers (MDA and GSH) in the cardiac tissue. Histopathological examination and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) findings displayed a marked effect of rutin to prevent diclofenac-mediated cardiac injury. Altered protein expression of myocardial injury markers (cTnT, FABP3, and ANP) and apoptotic markers (Bcl-2 and Caspase-3) in the cardiac tissue upon diclofenac treatment was considerably shielded by rutin treatment. MYL3 was unaffected due to diclofenac or rutin treatment. Rutin also significantly improved diclofenac-induced gastrointestinal and hepatic alterations based on the observed ameliorative effects in key mediators, oxidative stress markers, histopathology examination, and SEM findings. Overall results suggest that rutin can protect the diclofenac-induced cardiac injury by lowering oxidative stress, inhibiting inflammation, and reducing apoptosis. Further research work directs toward the development of phytotherapeutics for cardioprotection.

Keywords:

• Diclofenac
• rutin
• drug-induced cardiac injury
• cardioprotection
• phytotherapeutics

Acknowledgments

AD, DR, AG, and MB are thankful to UGC/DST/CSIR (New Delhi, India) for providing the necessary fellowship to carry out research work. IIIM publication number: CSIR-IIIM/IPR/00345.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Research support was obtained from Phytopharmaceutical Mission Project (HCP-0039) and an internal research grant (MLP6006) of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, India.