Cissus quadrangularis extract mitigates diabetic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting RAAS activation, inflammation and oxidative stress

ABSTRACT

Background

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is an age-related disease, and its progression is accompanied by hyperglycaemia, cardiac dysfunction, and myocardial structural and functional abnormalities. Cissus quadrangularis, a traditional medicinal plant, contains polyphenols, flavonoids, phytosterols, carbohydrates and ascorbic acid. It is used to treat osteoporosis, asthma, haemorrhoids and menstrual disorders.

Objective: In the current research, we have investigated the effect of ethanolic extract of C. quadrangularis (EECQ) against a high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin-induced DCM by estimating cardiac biomarkers, inflammatory markers and Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.

Material and methods

Rats were fed with an HFD for 12 weeks, followed by single-shot low-dose streptozotocin (35 mg/kg; i.p.). The treatment was performed by EECQ (200 mg/kg/day, orally) for six weeks.

Results

The extract EECQ improves glucose, insulin tolerance tests and hypercholesteremia. DCM is characterized by cardiac dysfunction, cardiac biomarkers CKMB and LDH, which were attenuated by the EECQ treatment. The hypertrophic biomarker ANP, BNP expression and cardiomyocyte surface area were decreased by EECQ. Moreover, EECQ also alleviated the biomarkers Angiotensin II and renin level. EECQ also reduced oxidative stress, ROS production and cardiac inflammation.

Conclusions

Thus, these findings suggested that EECQ could be used as a possible therapeutic regiment to treat DCM.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cissus quadrangularis ameliorates hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinemia and hyperlipidaemia.

• Cissus quadrangularis mitigates cardiac dysfunction.

• Cissus quadrangularis decreases RAAS activation, thereby down-regulates ANP, BNP expression.

• Cissus quadrangularis alleviates ROS propagated oxidative stress and apoptosis.

KEYWORDS:

• Cissus quadrangularis
• diabetic cardiomyopathy
• cardiac dysfunction
• oxidative stress
• RAAS system

Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to Dr Kumaravelu Jagavelu for providing the Echo facility. Furthermore, the authors are thankful to the ICMR for providing a research fellowship to A.A.S, and R.K. CSIR-CDRI communication number for this article is 10436.

Author contributions

AAS, MS, KH and JRG compiled, did statistical design and analyzed the research data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The current work was financially assisted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), University Grant Commission (UGC), and Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India.