Phytochemical Alliin Protects the Heart Muscles Against Cardiotoxicity

By Kyle J. Norton

Scientists may have found a bioactive ingredient for the prevention and treatment of cardiotoxicity with no side effects, according to studies.

Cardiotoxicity is a medical condition induced by the damage of the heart muscle. The infected heart muscles may reduce the function of the heart in pumping blood, the condition which can lead to heart failure.

Most cases of cardiotoxicity are the results of long-term intake of certain medication such as chemotherapy. However, infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) genetic preposition, a malignant disease associated with the amyloid deposited on your heart or other organs, high blood pressure, untreated hyperthyroidism, and vitamin b2 deficiency are some prevalent factors found in patients with cardiotoxicity.

Most common symptoms of cardiotoxicity are associated with not enough blood circulation in the body such as tiredness and fatigue, a long-term (chronic) cough, shortness of breath, floating,

Physically, most patients with cardiotoxicity also experience symptoms of enlarged heart muscle examined by the chest X-ray, abnormal heart or lung sounds and swelling in your hands, feet, or unusual weight gain.

Conventionally, treatment of cardiotoxicity depending on the cause of the disease may include

* Beta-blockers, for the improvement of the blood flow and reduction of palpitations, arrhythmias, and high blood pressure.

*ACE inhibitors induce (widen) the arterial dilation and improvement of the blood flow.

* Diuretics, by getting rid of excess fluids that reduce heart function in blood pumping

Alliin (S-allyl-L-cysteine-S-oxide) is a phytochemical compound sulfoxide, a derivative of the amino acid cysteine, belonging to the class of sulfur compounds, found abundantly in fresh garlic and onion.

With an aim to find a natural ingredient for the prevention and treatment of cardiotoxicity, researchers evaluated the preventive role of S-allyl cysteine sulphoxide (SACS, alliin) in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiotoxicity in an animal model.

The study included male Wistar rats induced myocardial infarction by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (ISO) (150 mg/kg) once a day for 2 days, following by the pretreatment of SACS (40 and 80 mg/kg) orally daily for a period of 35 days using an intragastric tube.

Pretreatment of SACS showed a significantly lowered thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes produced by the host.

The reduced levels of the concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) in myocardial infarcted rats also increased with the injection of SACS.

SACS pretreatment also increased significantly the levels of mitochondrial phospholipids and decreased the levels of mitochondrial cholesterol, free fatty acids (FFAs), triglycerides (TGs) and calcium, and the activity of xanthine oxidase (XOD) in heart, elevated conditions have been found to induce heart disease. 

Where low levels of mitochondrial phospholipids have been found to involve heart failure.

Futhermore, SACS also increased the enzyme activity of oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondrial fraction of the heart.

Moreover, oral administration of SACS for a period of 35 days protected the heart function in the myocardial infarction without affecting the heart function in the normal control rats.

The findings strongly suggested the protective role of SACS against cardiotoxicity caused by subcutaneous injection of medication.

Dr. Sangeetha T, the leads scientist wrote in the final report, "The effect at a dose of SACS 80 mg/kg was more effective than the dose 40 mg/kg. The results of the study conclude that SACS protect the mitochondria of the ISO-induced myocardial-infarcted rats".

Taken altogether, alliin used alone or combined with other herbal medicines may be considered supplements for the prevention and treatment of cardiotoxicity, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Intake of turmeric in the form of supplement should be taken with extreme care to prevent overdose acute liver toxicity.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) Preventive effect of S-allyl cysteine sulphoxide (Alliin) on mitochondrial dysfunction in normal and isoproterenol-induced cardiotoxicity in male Wistar rats: a histopathological study by Sangeetha T1, Darlin Quine S. (PubMed)