The cardioprotective effect of protocatechuic acid on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury

Protocatechuic acid (pca),a phenolic compound and one of the main metabolites of complex polyphenols,has been found to possess various biological activities,and it may have a potential in the treatment of ischemic heart diseases. this study explored the cardioprotective effect of pca on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (mi/r) injury and the underlying mechanisms. in an in vivo rat model of mi/r injury,myocardial infarct size,serum tnf-α level,and platelet aggregation were measured. in a primary neonatal rat cardiomyocyte model of hypoxia/ reoxygenation (h/r) injury,the apoptotic rate,expressions of cleaved caspase-3,and phosphorylated akt were observed. we found that pca significantly reduced myocardial infarct size,serum tnf-αlevel,and platelet aggregation. in vitro experiments revealed that pca significantly inhibited the apoptotic rate and the expression of cleaved caspase-3,and it upregulated the expression of phosphorylated akt in cardiomyocytes subjected to h/r injury. our results suggest that pca can provide a significant protection against mi/r injury,which may be at least partially attributed to its inhibitions against injury induced by mi/r including the inflammatory response,platelet aggregation,and cardiomyocytes apoptosis. © the japanese pharmacological society.