Background: Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum), a medicinal mushroom, exerts protective effects on cardiovascular diseases but, it's effect in isoproterenol-induced heart failure has not been studied. Therefore, the aim of the present study was whether G. lucidum has protective effects in isoproterenol-induced heart failure.
Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were assigned into five groups (n=6) of control, HF, and G. lucidum (50, 100, 200 mg/kg). For induction of HF in rats, isoproterenol (5 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously (SC) for two weeks. In G. lucidum treated groups, G. lucidum was orally gavaged for three weeks, and on day 8 isoproterenol (5 mg/kg; SC) was injected for two weeks. Then, Electrocardiogram pattern and cardiodynamic parameters, as well as myeloperoxidase activity, malondialdehyde level, cardiac remodeling, and apoptosis were studied. One-way ANOVA with Tukey post-test was used to compare groups. P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant (95% confidence interval (CI)).
Results: G. lucidum improved hemodynamic factors such as mean arterial blood pressure (P<0.01) as well as electrocardiogram pattern. Pre-treatment with G. lucidum also decreased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (P<0.01 and P<0.001), Malondialdehyde (MDA) level, (P<0.05 and P<0.01) and apoptosis (P<0.05; P<0.01 and P<0.001 respectively) in cardiac tissue. Histopathologic results showed a decrease in cardiac necrosis (P<0.05) and fibrosis (P<0.001). However, it had no significant effect on cardiac hypertrophy.
Conclusion: Our results show that pre-treatment with G. lucidum demonstrates protective effects against HF, and thereby suggest that G. lucidum can be considered as a possible clinical use for preventive and adjuvant treatment in heart failure.