%0 Journal Article
%T Assessment of Safety and Therapeutic Efficacy of Rosa damascena L. and Quercus infectoria on Cardiovascular Performance of Normal and Hyperlipidemic Rabbits: Physiologically Based Approach
%A Siyavash Joukar
%A Masoumeh Askarzadeh
%A Beydolah Shahouzehi
%A Hamid Najafipour
%A Hossein Fathpour
%J Journal of Toxicology
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/769143
%X According to the use of Quercus infectoria (QI) and Rosa damascena L. (RD) for therapeutic purposes and lack of adequate information about their cardiovascular effects, we investigated the cardiovascular indices of rabbits which chronically pretreated with these agents. Animal groups were control group (CTL), RD and QI groups with normal chow plus 1.5£¿g RD and QI extracts, respectively, in each kg of the diet for 45 days; Hyperlipidemic (H) group received high-fat diet for 45 days; H+RD and H+QI groups received high fat diet plus QI and RD extracts, respectively. Blood pressure was greater in H+RD group than CTL, RD, and H groups. Left ventricular developed pressure and left ventricular systolic pressure increased significantly in H+RD group versus CTL and RD groups ( and , resp.) and in H+QI groups ( versus QI groups). Left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) showed significant reduction in H+QI group versus H group. QI attenuated the values of total cholesterol, LDL, TG, and atherogenic indices of plasma when coadministrated with a high-fat diet. The results suggest the antilipidemic and antiatherogenic effects of QI. In addition, the use of RD along with a high-fat diet may increase the risk of hypertension in rabbits. 1. Introduction Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for about 30 percent of all deaths worldwide [1], and hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and smoking are well known as the three major risk factors of the mortality rates of CVDs [2]. Regarding the advances in the study and understanding of the mechanisms involved in the positive and negative effects of botanical drugs on health and diseases, one of the areas which has gained attention in recent years is the protective and destructive effects of herbal agents on the cardiovascular system. Based on the previous experimental studies and existing traditional and folk medicine knowledge about some of the cardiovascular beneficial effects concerning Rosa damascena L. (RD) and Quercus infectoria (QI), we have selected these two herbal drugs for the present study. The Q. infectoria Olivier (Fagaceae) is a shrub that grows in Asia Minor, Iran, and Greece. The galls of Q. infectoria have analgesic [3] CNS depressant, antiparkinsonian, antidiabetic [3¨C5], anti-inflammatory [6], and antioxidant activity [7]. Recently, the hepatoprotective effects of Q. infectoria galls against CCL4-induced tissue damage have been reported [8]. Rosa damascena L. is a small plant, that is cultivated all over the world due to its scent and visual beauty [9]. The theraputical effects of Rosa damascena L. are
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jt/2013/769143/