Abstract
Cigarette smoke is a major risk factor of coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and cardiac death. It has been reported to contain large amounts of oxidants. This study was undertaken to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of Sesbania grandiflora (S. grandiflora) against cigarette smoke-induced oxidative damage in rats. Adult male Wistar-Kyoto rats were exposed to cigarette smoke for a period of 90 days and consecutively treated with S. grandiflora aqueous suspension (SGAS, 1000 mg/kg body weight per day orally) for a period of 3 weeks. Lactate dehydrogenase activity in serum and cardiac lipid peroxidation product level were significantly increased while the activities of cardiac superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase then the levels of reduced glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E were significantly decreased in rats exposed to cigarette smoke. Besides, copper level was elevated, whereas zinc, manganese, and selenium levels were significantly diminished in the heart of rats exposed to cigarette smoke. Treatment with SGAS restored the antioxidant status and retained the levels of micronutrients. These results suggest that chronic cigarette smoke exposure increases the oxidative stress, thereby disquieting the cardiac defense system and S. grandiflora protects the heart from the oxidative damage through its antioxidant potential.