Effects of Acanthopanax senticosus saponins on ventricular remodeling in rats with acute myocardial infarction

Objective To investigate effects of Acanthopanax senticosus saponins (ASS) on ventricular remodeling in rats with acute myocardial infarction. Methods The myocardial infarct model was induced by left anterior descending coronary occulusion in rats. After 4 weeks of treatment by ASS, hemodynamic changes, biochemical analysis and morphological parameters were determined in ventricular remodeling rats. Results The maximum left ventricular presure rising and dropping rates (±dp/dt max ) and their left ventricular systolic pressure corrected values(±dp/dt max /LVSP) were increased significantly. The left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), the left ventricular volume (LVV), the left ventricular long and short axis(LVLA and LVSA), the left ventricular absolute and relative weight (LVAW and LVRW) were reduced significantly, but there were no significant influences on the right ventricular absolute and relative weight (RVAW and RVRW), the heart rate (HR), the left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), mean artery pressure (MAP) and body weight (BW). In addition, the serum lipid peroxidation (LPO) content, myocardial angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ) and epinephrine (E) contents were declined, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH Px) activities were increased markedly. Conclusion ASS can prevent and treat ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction in rats efficiently.