Scope
[6]âGingerol is one of the primary pungent constituents of ginger. While [6]âgingerol has many pharmacological effects, its benefits for myocardial fibrosis, including its exact role and underlying mechanisms, remain largely unexplored. The present study is designed to characterize the cardioâprotective effects of [6]âgingerol in myocardial fibrosis mice and possible underlying mechanisms.
Methods and results
Mice are subcutaneously injected with isoproterenol (ISO, 10 mg kgâ1) and gavaged with [6]âgingerol (10, 20 mg kgâ1 dayâ1) for 14 days. Pathological alterations, fibrosis, oxidative stress, inflammation response, and apoptosis are examined. In ISOâinduced myocardial fibrosis, [6]âgingerol treatment decreases the Jâpoint, heart rate, cardiac weight index, left ventricle weight index, creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase serum levels, calcium concentration, reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and glutathione disulfide (GSSG), and increases levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and GSH/GSSG. Further, [6]âgingerol improved ISOâinduced morphological pathologies, inhibited inflammation and apoptosis, and suppressed the tollâlike receptorâ4 (TLR4)/mitogenâactivated protein kinases (MAPKs)/nuclear factor ÎșB (NFâÎșB) signaling pathways.
Conclusion
The protective effect of [6]âgingerol in mice with ISOâinduced myocardial fibrosis may be related to the inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, potentially through the TLR4/MAPKs/NFâÎșB signaling pathway.