Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute heart failure syndrome characterised by catecholamineinduced oxidative tissue damage. Punica granatum, a fruit-bearing tree, is known to have high
polyphenolic content and has been proven to be a potent antioxidant. This study aimed to investigate
the effects of pomegranate peel extract (PoPEx) pre-treatment on isoprenaline-induced takotsubo-like
myocardial injury in rats. Male Wistar rats were randomised into four groups. Animals in the
PoPEx(P) and PoPEx + isoprenaline group (P + I) were pre-treated for 7 days with 100 mg/kg/day
of PoPEx. On the sixth and the seventh day, TTS-like syndrome was induced in rats from the
isoprenaline(I) and P + I groups by administering 85 mg/kg/day of isoprenaline. PoPEx pre-treatment
led to the elevation of superoxide dismutase and catalase (p < 0.05), reduced glutathione (p < 0.001)
levels, decreased the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (p < 0.001), H2O2
, O2
− (p < 0.05), and
NO2
− (p < 0.001), in the P + I group, when compared to the I group. In addition, a significant
reduction in the levels of cardiac damage markers, as well as a reduction in the extent of cardiac
damage, was found. In conclusion, PoPEx pre-treatment significantly attenuated the isoprenalineinduced myocardial damage, primarily via the preservation of endogenous antioxidant capacity in
the rat model of takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy.
Keywords: isoprenaline; takotsubo cardiomyopath
