Protective effects of astaxanthin on diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats

Abstract

This study investigated the protective effects of astaxanthin on diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats. The rat diabetes mellitus model was treated with astaxanthin. Compared with the model group, in the 20 mg/kg astaxanthin group the LVSP (92.03 ± 11.96 mmHg), + dp/dtmax (6045.36 ± 52.74 mmHg/s) and -dp/dtmax (4956.33 ± 448.21 mmHg/s), myocardial superoxide dismutase (163.41 ± 17.42 U/mg) and glutathione peroxidase activity (148.39 ± 19.28 nmol/mg) were significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the LVEDP (1.66 ± 0.91 mmHg), blood TG (0.83 ± 0.28 mmol/L) and TC level (2.78 ± 1.45 mmol/L), serum TNF-α (1.02 ± 0.33 mol/L) and IL-6 (1.48 ± 0.26 mol/L) level and myocardial malondialdehyde level (15.78 ± 2.01 nmol/mg) were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and ratios of p-JNK/JNK (0.92 ± 0.06), p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 (0.22 ± 0.04) and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK (0.28 ± 0.05) were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, astaxanthin can reduce the myocardial damage in diabetic cardiomyopathy rats, which may be related to its improving blood glucose and blood lipid metabolism, resisting oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction, and inhibiting activation of MAPK signaling pathway.