Amelioration of cardiac hypertrophy induced by abdominal aortic banding in ferulic acid treated rats

The objective of the present study was to investigate the beneficial effects of treatment of the abundant phytochemical Ferulic acid (FA), alone or in combination with angiotensin II receptor antagonist telmisartan on pressure overload–induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Albino Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: Sham, abdominal aorta constriction (AAB) and three FA (20 mg/kg) treatment groups given as a pretreatment or post-treatment or in combination with telmisartan (Tel; 10 mg/kg). The standard drug used was Tel (10 mg/kg). The pretreatment was given for 35 days while the other treatments were started from the 29th day of surgery for a period of 7 days orally. After recording the exercise testing and hemodynamic parameters, animals were sacrificed for biochemical and histopathological studies. The AAB group had a significant increase in left ventricular weight (LVW) (p < 0.001), elevated blood pressure (p < 0.001), a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) (p < 0.001) and serum creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB) (p < 0.001), significantly lowered glutathione concentration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (p < 0.001). Pretreatment with FA alone or post-treatment of FA in combination with telmisartan attenuated the rise in LVW and blood pressure (p < 0.001). It eliminated the ROS significantly (p < 0.01), reduced CK-MB, raised the glutathione and SOD (p < 0.001). These findings confirm the protective role of pretreatment of FA and post-treatment of FA with telmisartan in pressure overload–induced cardiac hypertrophy mediated through its integrated effect of potent antioxidative, anti-hypertensive and anti-inflammatory activity.