• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.278-287
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• 2010

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of ethanol (EtAS), ethyl acetate (EAAS) and aqueous (AQAS) extracts of Argyreia speciosa (AS) roots against Isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction in rats. The animals were exposed to isoproterenol (200 mg/kg. s.c) twice at an interval of 24 hrs. Cardioprotective effect was assessed by observing ECG parameters, serum marker enzymes and histopathology of the heart. Pretreatment of EAAS, and EtAS (200 mg/kg) resulted in a significant (P < 0.001) increase in P wave, QRS complex and R-R interval, whereas heart rate, QT interval and cardiac cycle were maintained near to normal values. EtAS and EAAS showed significant (P < 0.05; P < 0.001) reduction in all the tested diagnostic markers compared to ISO treated group. Histological studies on the structural changes of heart tissue supported the protective activity of AS. The result suggest that treatment of AS prior to ISO has a significant role in protecting the animals from ISO induced myocardial infarction.