Curcumin exerts synergistic effects with ACE inhibitor during systolic function restoration after myocardial infarction in rats

Curcumin exerts synergistic effects with ACE inhibitor during systolic function restoration after myocardial infarction in rats

Yoichi Sunagawa1,4,5, Tatsuya Morimoto4, Hiromichi Wada5, Tomohide Takaya3,5, Teruhisa Kawamura5, Shigeki Yanagi2, Akira Marui2, Tadashi Ikeda2, Ryuzo Sakata2, Akira Shimatsu5, Takeshi Kimura3, Masatoshi Fujita1, Koji Hasegawa5.

  1. Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
  2. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
  3. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
  4. Division of Molecular Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan.
  5. Division of Translational Research, Kyoto Medical Center, National Hospital Organization, Kyoto, Japan.

World Congress of the International Society for Heart Research 2010 (Kyoto, Japan), 2010/05/13 (Poster).

Abstract

Purpose: We found that curcumin, a p300 histone acetyltransferase inhibitor, prevents deterioration of the systolic function in rat heart failure models in vivo. To clinically apply this novel therapy to humans, it should be clarified whether or not Cur exhibits additional effects on conventional HF therapy involving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI).

Methods: Rats were subjected to a sham operation or MI. One week later, 32 rats were randomly assigned to solvents (control), enalapril (ACEI, 10 mg/kg/day) alone, curcumin (50 mg/kg/day) alone, or curcumin plus enalapril for 6 weeks.

Results: ACEI, but not curcumin treatment, decreased the blood pressure in post-MI rats. After treatment, LVFS was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the ACEI (29%) and curcumin (29%) groups than in the vehicle group (22%). Notably, LVFS significantly (p < 0.05) increased on ACEI/Cur combination therapy (35%) compared with therapy involving either ACEI or curcumin alone. The LV wall thickness and cardiomyocyte diameter were significantly smaller in the ACEI/curcumin than the ACEI group. Moreover, perivascular fibrosis was significantly reduced in the ACEI and curcumin groupscompared with the vehicle group. This reduction was further augmented by the ACEI/ curcumin combination therapy.

Conclusions: Curcumin restores the post-MI LV systolic function in rats without affecting the blood pressure. This natural non-toxic dietary compound in addition to ACEI exerts beneficial effects on LV systolic function.