Counteraction of adriamycin-induced alterations in cardiac enzymes by Thespesia populnea leaf extract

This study examined the ameliorative effect of Thespesia populnea leaf extract on the changes in ATPase and antioxidant enzyme activities in rat heart induced by the anthracycline adriamycin. Adriamycin is a potent broad-spectrum antitumor agent, but has adverse effects on the heart, resulting in cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Anthracyclines are suggested to render the cardiac tissue susceptible to free radical damage, and different parts of T. populnea have been shown to possess antioxidant activity. Thus, whether the action of adriamycin, if any, on the enzyme activities can be countered by T. populnea would be interesting to study. In the present investigation, male adult Wistar rats were divided into 10 groups of six rats each. Adriamycin (15mg/kg i.p. cumulative dose), T. populnea leaf extract (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg respectively), vitamin E (25mg/kg p.o.) and carvedilol (1mg/kg p.o.) were administered separately and in combination with adriamycin to the rats, and changes in ATPase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were determined in the heart tissue. Administration of adriamycin decreased the ATPase and antioxidant enzyme activities. Thespesia leaf extracts, vitamin E and carvedilol elevated the enzyme activities individually, and also reversed the effect of adriamycin to different degrees when administered along with it. The findings suggest that T. populnea leaf extracts recover the ATPase and antioxidant enzyme activities in the heart of rats from adriamycin stress. This attribute of the plant may be due to its ability to scavenge free radicals and lower the oxidative stress. The results provide preliminary pharmacological support for the use of T. populnea in preventing alterations in membrane homeostasis and conferring cardio-protection.