Methanolic Extract of Ceplukan Leaf (Physalis minima L.) Attenuates Ventricular Fibrosis through Inhibition of TNF-α in Ovariectomized Rats

The increase of heart failure prevalence on menopausal women was correlated with the decrease of estrogen level. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of ceplukan leaf (Physalis minima L.), which contains phytoestrogen physalin and withanolides, on ventricular TNF-α level and fibrosis in ovariectomized rats. Wistar rats were divided into six groups (control (—); OVX 5: 5-week ovariectomy (OVX); OVX 9: 9-week ovariectomy; treatments I, II, and III: 9-weeks OVX + 4-week ceplukan leaf's methanolic extract doses 500, 1500, and 2500 mg/kgBW, resp.). TNF-α levels were measured with ELISA. Fibrosis was counted as blue colored tissues percentage using Masson's Trichrome staining. This study showed that prolonged hypoestrogen increases ventricular fibrosis (p < 0.05). Ceplukan leaf treatment also resulted in a decrease of ventricular fibrosis and TNF-α level in dose dependent manner compared to without treatment group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the TNF-α level was normalized in 2500 mg/kgBW Physalis minima L. (p < 0.05) treatment. The reduction of fibrosis positively correlated with TNF-α level (p < 0.05, r = 0.873). Methanolic extract of ceplukan leaf decreases ventricular fibrosis through the inhibition of ventricular TNF-α level in ovariectomized rats.