Hippophae rhamnoides L. is a deciduous shrub that contains many unique bioactive substances. This sea buckthorn possesses anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular protective properties. Herein, the effects of phenylpropyl compounds extracted from H. rhamnoides L. on doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiotoxicity were evaluated in zebrafish. Cardiac injury in zebrafish was induced using 35 μM Dox for 96 h, and 30 μM phenylpropanoid compounds were used as the protective treatment. The cardioprotective effects and mechanisms of the four phenylpropanoids were investigated using microscopy, behavioral analysis, acridine orange staining, western blotting, flow cytometry, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The extracted phenylpropanoids could significantly relieve Dox-induced cardiac injury in zebrafish and inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis. The mechanisms of action were mainly related to the stability of mitochondrial biogenesis and function maintained by phenylpropanoids in zebrafish. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the protective effect of sea buckthorn against myocardial injury in zebrafish. Our findings provide support for the further research and development of sea buckthorn and its components.
Keywords: cardiotoxicity; doxorubicin; mitochondria; sea buckthorn; zebrafish.