Cardioprotective effects of Ferulic acid in Streptozotocin- induced diabetic rats

Background: Diabetes mellitus causes changes in the structural or functional anatomy of the heart. A high blood glucose level and oxidative stress are key factors in diabetic cardiac damage. Ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamic acid) is a biologically active compound in many functional foods like fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs. It belongs to the group of cinnamic acid derivatives.Objective: In the present study, we investigated the effects of Ferulic acid (FA) on Streptozotocin-induced diabetic cardiac damage in male Sprague Dawley rats.Materials and methods: A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups of six each. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin (STZ) (40 mg/kg body weight). Group I consisted of normal rats (N); group II consisted of normal rats treated with FA (N+FA); group III consisted of STZ-induced diabetic rats (D), and groups IV and V consisted of STZ-induced diabetic rats treated with FA at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight and glibenclamide at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight respectively (N+FA and N+G) for 60 days. Rats were sacrificed after the treatment period, and blood and heart tissue were collected for analysis.Results: STZ injection significantly increased blood glucose, HbA1c, cardiac marker enzymes LDH, CK-MB, and oxidative stress in heart tissue. The oral administration of FA to diabetic rats for 60 days significantly improved diabetic markers, oxidative stress, and cardiac markers.Conclusion: The present study indicated that FA affords cardioprotective effect in diabetic rats, and this protection may be due in part to the attenuation of oxidative stress.Keywords: ferulic acid, streptozotocin, diabetes, cardiac damage, oxidative stress