Copaiba Oil Attenuates Right Ventricular Remodeling by Decreasing Myocardial Apoptotic Signaling in Monocrotaline-Induced Rats

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2018 Nov;72(5):214-221. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0000000000000617.

Abstract

There is an increase in oxidative stress and apoptosis signaling during the transition from hypertrophy to right ventricular (RV) failure caused by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) induced by monocrotaline (MCT). In this study, it was evaluated the action of copaiba oil on the modulation of proteins involved in RV apoptosis signaling in rats with PAH. Male Wistar rats (±170 g, n = 7/group) were divided into 4 groups: control, MCT, copaiba oil, and MCT + copaiba oil. PAH was induced by MCT (60 mg/kg intraperitoneally) and, 7 days later, treatment with copaiba oil (400 mg/kg by gavage) was given for 14 days. Echocardiographic and hemodynamic measurements were performed, and the RV was collected for morphometric evaluations, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and cell survival signaling, and eNOS protein expression. Copaiba oil reduced RV hypertrophy (24%), improved RV systolic function, and reduced RV end-diastolic pressure, increased total sulfhydryl levels and eNOS protein expression, reduced lipid and protein oxidation, and the expression of proteins involved in apoptosis signaling in the RV of MCT + copaiba oil as compared to MCT group. In conclusion, copaiba oil reduced oxidative stress, and apoptosis signaling in RV of rats with PAH, which may be associated with an improvement in cardiac function caused by this compound.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Cardiovascular Agents / isolation & purification
  • Cardiovascular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Fabaceae* / chemistry
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / chemically induced
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / drug therapy*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / metabolism
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / pathology
  • Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / chemically induced
  • Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / metabolism
  • Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / pathology
  • Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular / prevention & control*
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Male
  • Monocrotaline*
  • Myocardium* / metabolism
  • Myocardium* / pathology
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Plant Oils / isolation & purification
  • Plant Oils / pharmacology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / chemically induced
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / metabolism
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / pathology
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / prevention & control*
  • Ventricular Function, Right / drug effects*
  • Ventricular Remodeling / drug effects*
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Bax protein, rat
  • Bcl2 protein, rat
  • Cardiovascular Agents
  • Plant Oils
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • Monocrotaline
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
  • Nos3 protein, rat
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases