Oral treatment with Euterpe oleracea Mart. (açaí) extract improves cardiac dysfunction and exercise intolerance in rats subjected to myocardial infarction

Abstract

BackgroundThis study was designed to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of Euterpe oleracea Mart., popularly known as “açaí”, on rats subjected to myocardial infarction (MI).MethodsHydroalcoholic extracts of açaí were obtained from a decoction of the seeds. Two male Wistar rat groups were delineated: 1) the sham-operated group (control, n = 6), with no surgical amendment, and 2) the MI group (n = 12), in which the anterior descendent coronary artery was occluded during surgery. MI group was divided into two subgroups, in which rats were either treated with hydroalcoholic extract of Euterpe oleracea seeds (100 mg/kg/day p.o.) or received no treatment. Treatment began on the day of surgery, and lasted 4 weeks. Subsequently, rats were subject to an exercise test protocol, hemodynamic evaluation, and histological analysis of the left ventricle. Groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Dunnett’s test.ResultsThe total running distance of sham rats was 1339.0 ± 276.6 m, MI rats was 177.6 ± 15.8 m (P < 0.05), and MI-açaí rats was 969.9 ± 362.2 m. Systolic arterial pressure was significantly decreased in MI rats (86.88 ± 4.62 mmHg) compared to sham rats (115.30 ± 7.24 mmHg; P < 0.05). Açaí treatment prevented a reduction in systolic arterial pressure (130.00 ± 8.16 mmHg) compared to MI rats (P < 0.05). Left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure was significantly augmented in MI rats (17.62 ± 1.21 mmHg) compared to sham rats (4.15 ± 1.60 mmHg; P < 0.05), but was 3.69 ± 2.69 mmHg in açaí-treated rats (P < 0.05 vs. MI). The LV relaxation rate (-dp/dt) was reduced in MI rats compared to the sham group, whereas açaí treatment prevented this reduction. Açaí treatment prevented cardiac hypertrophy and LV fibrosis in MI rats.ConclusionsEuterpe oleracea treatment of MI rats prevented the development of exercise intolerance, cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and dysfunction.

Cytotoxic analysis and chemical characterization of fractions of the hydroalcoholic extract of the Euterpe oleracea Mart. seed in the MCF-7 cell line

“…The seed of açaí also demonstrated benefits for the cardiovascular, renal and neurological systems. Studies claim that natural products with polyphenols in their chemical composition show antioxidant and antiproliferative activity in neoplastic cells in vitro …”

Propriedades antioxidantes do açaí (Euterpe oleracea ) na síndrome metabólica

“…O efeito anti-hipertensivo de açaí foi observado em estudos randomizado e duplo-cego, e controlado por placebo, com suplementação de açaí, os quais demonstraram uma redução significativa na pressão arterial sistólica (GALE et al, 2014;ZAPATA-SUDO et al, 2014). Cordeiro et al (2018) observaram que o extrato de sementes de açaí, rico em polifenóis, foi benéfico para a preservação da morfologia e função renal em ratos diabéticos hipertensos, tendo como efeitos benéficos a redução da pressão arterial sistólica, a melhoria da barreira de filtração renal e as ações anti-inflamatórias, antioxidantes e vasodilatadoras.…”

A�a� (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) attenuates alcohol‑induced liver injury in rats by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammatory response

“…EO has been found to contain high levels of phytochemicals that exhibit anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities ( 16 – 18 ). Furthermore, EO has been found to have antitumor activity and improve cardiac dysfunction ( 19 , 20 ). However, to the best of our knowledge, the therapeutic effect of EO in ALD has remained elusive.…”