Background and Objectives: Cratoxylum formosum
(CF), Tiew Khao, is a local plant that exerts antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to
investigate the effects of CF extract on left
ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and oxidative stress in
nitric oxide-deficient rats.
Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into
3 groups including control group received normal
drinking water, Nω-nitro L-arginine methyl ester
hydrochloride (L-NAME) group received L-NAME (40
mg/kg/day) for five weeks and L-NAME group treated
with CF extract (500 mg/kg/day) for the last two weeks.
At the end of experiment, heart weight, LV wall
thickness and cross-sectional area, vascular
superoxide production and plasma malondialdehyde
were measured.
Results: Rats received L-NAME showed LV hypertrophy
and increases in oxidative stress markers (p<0.05).
Treatment with CF extract significantly alleviated LV
hypertrophy associated with reducing oxidative stress
markers in L-NAME treated rats.
Conclusion: CF extract alleviated LV hypertrophy in
L-NAME rats which might be related with its antioxidant
properties.