International Journal of Medical Laboratory

Background and Aims: Cardiac hypertrophy is a compensatory augmentation response of the heart due to pressure overload that can lead to heart failure. Carvacrol is considered as the major compound of many plants, that possesses strong antioxidant properties. The present study aimed to evaluate effect of carvacrol on catalase activity and mRNA expression following left ventricular hypertrophy in rats.

Materials and Methods: In the current study, male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=7). Intact animals served as the control group (C), some rats were subjected to supra renal aortic banding without any treatment (H) in order to induce left ventricular hypertrophy, and some rats were pretreated with different doses of carvacrol (25, 50 and 75 mg/kg/day in H+C25, H+C50 and H+C75 groups respectively). Serum and cardiac catalase (CAT) activity was determined by the biochemical methods. CAT mRNA expression was assessed using real-time polymeras chain reaction.

Results: In H+C50 and H+C75 groups,  the CAT activity was significantly higher in the left ventricular tissues (47.5±20 and 42±13.6, vs. H 22.4±17 U/mg protein respectively). Serum CAT activity was increased in H+C50 and H+C75 groups (p<0.001), and CAT mRNA expression was increased in H+C50 group (p<0.05), as well.

Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that Carvacrol may protect the heart against left ventricular hypertrophy via augmentation of CAT mRNA expression and activity.