Lavandula Reduces Heart Injury via Attenuating Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha and Oxidative Stress in A Rat Model of Infarct-Like Myocardial Injury

OBJECTIVE: Lavender is used in herbal medicine for different therapeutic purposes. Nonetheless, potential therapeutic effects of this plant in ischemic heart disease and its possible mechanisms remain to be investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, lavender oil at doses of 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg was administered through gastric gavage for 14 days before infarct-like myocardial injury (MI). The carotid artery and left ventricle were cannulated to record arterial blood pressure (BP) and cardiac function. At the end of experiment, the heart was removed and histopathological alteration, oxidative stress biomarkers as well as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) level were evaluated. RESULTS: Induction of M.I caused cardiac dysfunction, increased levels of lipid peroxidation, TNF-α and troponin I in heart tissue (P<0.001). Pretreatment with lavender oil at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly reduced myocardial injury, troponin I and TNF-α. In addition, it improved cardiac function and antioxidant enzyme activity (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Our finding showed that lavender oil has cardioprotective effect through inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory pathway in the rat model with infarct-like MI. We suggest that lavender oil may be helpful in prevention or attenuation of heart injury in patients with high risk of myocardial infarction and/or ischemic heart disease.