Cardioprotective Role of Theobroma Cacao against Isoproterenol-Induced Acute Myocardial Injury

Background: Antioxidants are beneficial in myocardial infarction (MI). It is suggestive that Theobroma cacao (TC) with rich antioxidant properties can be of health benefit in myocardial injury.

Aim: The study investigated the effect of Theobroma cacao on cardioprotection in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarc-tion in rats.

Material and methods: Male Wistar rats divided into four groups of 6 rats were used for the study. Group 1, the control was administered 0.9% normal saline placebo via oral gavage. Group 2 was the MI induced group administered 100mg/kg body weight isoproterenol subcutaneously twice at an interval of 24 hours. Group 3 was administered TC for 2 weeks at 100mg/kg body weight via oral route. Group 4 was pretreated with TC (100mg/kg) via oral route for 2 weeks, followed im-mediately with administration of 100mg/kg body weight isoproterenol subcutaneously twice at an interval of 24 hours. The rats were sacrificed using chloroform anesthesia, and blood samples collected via cardiac puncture. The serum was analyzed for troponin level, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) level.

Results: The serum troponin, LDH, and MDA levels were significantly (p<0.01) increased in the MI group compared with the control. Pretreatment with TC before MI induction significantly (p<0.01) prevented increased serum troponin, LDH, and MDA levels when compared with the MI group. There was also a significant (p<0.01) decrease in MDA in the TC group compared with the control.

Conclusion: These results suggest that Theobroma cacao protects against isoproterenol induced myocardial injury, possibly by preventing oxidative stress and consequent lipid peroxidation.

Keywords: Acute myocardial infarction; Isoproterenol; Lactate dehydrogenase; Malondialdehyde; Troponins; antioxidants.; theobroma ca-cao.