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Protective effects of garlic extract on cardiac function, heart rate variability, and cardiac mitochondria in obese insulin-resistant rats

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Abstract

Purpose

Garlic has been shown to exhibit antioxidant effects and cardioprotective properties. However, the effects of garlic extract on the heart in insulin resistance induced by long-term high-fat-diet consumption are not well defined. Therefore, we sought to determine the effects of garlic extract in the obese insulin-resistant rats.

Methods

Male Wistar rats (180–200 g) were divided into two groups: normal-diet or high-fat-diet (n = 24/group) fed for 12 weeks. Rats in each groups were divided into three subgroups (n = 8 each): vehicle or garlic extract (250 or 500 mg/kg/day, respectively) treated for 28 days. At the end of the treatment, the metabolic parameters, heart rate variability (HRV), cardiac function, and cardiac mitochondrial function were determined.

Results

Rats that received a high-fat-diet for 12 weeks had increased body weight, visceral fat, plasma insulin levels, total cholesterol, oxidative stress levels, depressed HRV, and cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction. Garlic extract at both concentrations significantly decreased the plasma insulin, total cholesterol, homeostasis model assessment index, and oxidative stress levels. Furthermore, garlic extract at both doses restored the HRV, cardiac function, and cardiac mitochondrial function.

Conclusion

We concluded that garlic extract at both concentrations exerted cardioprotective effects against cardiac dysfunction and mitochondrial dysfunction in obese insulin-resistant rats.

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Abbreviations

BCA:

Bicinchoninic acid

DCFDA:

Dichlorohydrofluorescein diacetate

ECG:

Electrocardiogram

EDP:

End diastolic pressure

EGTA:

Ethylene glycol bis (2-amino ethylether)-N,N,N,N-tetraacetic acid

ESP:

End systolic pressure

HOMA:

Homeostasis model assessment

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

HR:

Heart rate

HRV:

Heart rate variability

JC-1:

5,5′,6,6′-Tetrachloro-1,1′,3,3′-tetraethylbenzimidazolcarbocyanine iodide

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

ΔΨm:

Mitochondrial membrane potential changes

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SV:

Stroke volume

TBA:

Thiobarbituric acid

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the Thailand Research Fund Senior Scholar Grant RTA 5580006 (NC), BRG 5480003 (SC), and MRG5580125 (KS).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Luerat Supakul, Hiranya Pintana, Nattayaporn Apaijai, Siriporn Chattipakorn, Krekwit Shinlapawittayatorn & Nipon Chattipakorn

  2. Cardiac Electrophysiology Unit, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Luerat Supakul, Hiranya Pintana, Nattayaporn Apaijai, Krekwit Shinlapawittayatorn & Nipon Chattipakorn

  3. Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Science, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Siriporn Chattipakorn

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  1. Luerat Supakul
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  2. Hiranya Pintana
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  3. Nattayaporn Apaijai
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  4. Siriporn Chattipakorn
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Correspondence to Nipon Chattipakorn.

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Supakul, L., Pintana, H., Apaijai, N. et al. Protective effects of garlic extract on cardiac function, heart rate variability, and cardiac mitochondria in obese insulin-resistant rats. Eur J Nutr 53, 919–928 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0595-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0595-6

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