Cardioprotective Effects of Cerebrolysin on the Lesion Severity and Inflammatory Factors in a Rat Model of Isoproterenol-induced Myocardial Injury

Background: Myocardial injury (MI) is an important heart condition and a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The current study was designed to investigate the cardioprotective effects of cerebrolysin (CLY) on the lesion severity and inflammatory factors in male rats using isoproterenol (ISO)-induced MI model.

Methods: MI in rats was induced by injecting ISO (100 mg/kg) subcutaneously (sc) on the first 2 days. Then, CLY (5 ml/kg) was injected intraperitoneally (ip) post-treatment for 7 days. On the 3rd day, creatine phosphokinase (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels in serum and, on the 10th day, the TNF-α and IL6 levels in serum and heart tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Finally, the heart of each rat was dissected out and stained for histopathological examination.

Results: On the 3rd day, the serum CK-MB and cTnI levels in the ISO and CLY + ISO groups were significantly increased compared with that in the control and CLY + Sal groups. One week after the induction of MI, ISO administration showed a significant increase in the serum level of TNF-α in the ISO group compared with that in the control and CLY + Sal groups. Also, our findings showed only a moderate reduction in inflammatory cell infiltration and extent of edema following CLY treatment in the CLY + ISO group. Also, CLY induced vascular proliferation in the heart tissue.

Conclusions: We conclude that the severity of pathological changes induced by ISO in MI (e.g. inflammation and edema) can be limited by CLY treatment.