Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been associated with several complications, such as cardiac dysfunction. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of the Matricaria chamomilla flower extract (MCE) against the harmful effect of DM on the cardiac muscles of rats. DM was induced in overnight fasted rats through a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 45 mg/kg b.w., i.p.). The thirty-six rats were divided into six equal groups. Non-diabetic rats of the first and second groups were treated with vehicle (2 mL/kg b.w.) and MCE (400 mg/kg b.w.), respectively. The third to sixth groups were diabetic rats that received vehicle, glibenclamide (GLB, 5 mg/kg b.w.), and a low and high dose of MCE, respectively, for 10 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin levels were estimated at 0 and 10 weeks. In addition, cardiac damage was assessed by estimating the lipid profile, AST, LDH, CK, CK-MB and cardiac troponin (cTnI) levels in the serum, cardiac and left ventricle hypertrophy indices, and cardiac oxidative stress biomarkers, followed by histopathological studies. GLB and MCE significantly reduced the FBG levels, in comparison with the STZ control rats. The beneficial impacts of MCE at 400 mg/kg were better than GLB in improving the levels of cardiac damage and lipid profile biomarkers of STZ-diabetic rats. Following the MCE medication, the haemodynamic parameters and histopathological alterations in the cardiac tissues of rats improved. In conclusion, MCE exhibited a marked protective activity against diabetes-induced cardiac dysfunction in rats.