azafrin and Myocardial-Ischemia

The root of Centranthera grandiflora Benth. is a Chinese ethnodrug known as Ye-Can-Dou-Gen (YCDG) and has been widely used to treat cardiovascular diseases in Hmong, Yunnan Province, China; however, its mechanisms of action were largely unknown. Azafrin, a natural carotenoid, is one of the most abundant active ingredients in YCDG.. We aimed to explore the cardioprotective effects of azafrin on myocardial infarction (MI) and myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion (MIR) injury and to clarify its underlying myocardial protective mechanisms.. The in vitro cardioprotective effects of azafrin against oxidative stress injury in H9c2 cells were assessed by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and a viability assay in the presence of H. Azafrin showed higher FRAP values than FeSO. Azafrin exhibited cardioprotective effects against myocardial injury via activation of the Nrf2-ARE pathway. As a natural carotenoid antioxidant, this molecule represents a promising cardioprotective adjuvant for the prophylaxis and treatment of ischaemic heart diseases.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Cardiotonic Agents; Carotenoids; Heart; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Male; Myocardial Infarction; Myocardial Ischemia; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury; Myocardium; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley