Abstract | BACKGROUND: METHODS AND MATERIALS: Four-week-old inbred male DBA/2 mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with 10 plaque-forming units (pfu) of the encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus. Pycnogenol was administered orally at a dose of 1 or 10 mg/kg per day for the histologic study, and 10 or 100 mg/kg for the gene expression study, beginning on the day of viral inoculation. RESULTS: The area of myocardial infiltration and necrosis on day 7 was significantly smaller in the hearts of mice treated with Pycnogenol 10 mg/kg (16.2 +/- 8.9% and 19.2 +/- 9.7%, respectively, n = 10, mean +/- SEM) compared with controls (27.6 +/- 15.0% and 30.1 +/- 15.7%, respectively, n = 10, P < .05). There was a nonsignificant trend for less myocardial infiltration in the Pycnogenol 1 mg/kg group. Myocardial virus concentration on day 7 was 8.4 +/- 0.3 x 10(3) pfu/mg in mice treated with 1 mg/kg of Pycnogenol, and 2.7 +/- 0.6 x 10(4) pfu/mg in control mice, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). Gene expressions of tumor necrosis factor, type-I procollagen, stem cell factor, and mast cell tryptase were significantly suppressed in the hearts of mice treated with Pycnogenol 100 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that Pycnogenol exerts its beneficial effects on viral myocarditis by decreasing virus replication, and by suppressing expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, genes related to cardiac remodeling, and mast cell-related genes in the hearts of mice.
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Authors | Akira Matsumori, Hirokazu Higuchi, Miho Shimada |
Journal | Journal of cardiac failure
(J Card Fail)
Vol. 13
Issue 9
Pg. 785-91
(Nov 2007)
ISSN: 1532-8414 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 17996829
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents
- Cytokines
- Flavonoids
- Plant Extracts
- Procollagen
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
- pycnogenols
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Topics |
- Animals
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents
- Cytokines
(drug effects)
- Encephalomyocarditis virus
(drug effects)
- Flavonoids
(pharmacology, therapeutic use)
- Male
- Mast Cells
(drug effects)
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred DBA
- Myocarditis
(drug therapy, prevention & control)
- Myocardium
- Plant Extracts
(pharmacology, therapeutic use)
- Procollagen
(drug effects)
- Stem Cells
(drug effects)
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
(drug effects)
- Virus Diseases
(drug therapy, prevention & control)
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