Cardioprotective and antioxidant effects of Rosa damascena leaf and stem extract against lead acetate-induced myocardial injury in rats

Figures

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  FIGURE 1. Effect of Rosa damascena (Taif Rose) extract on serum cardiac injury biomarkers: (A) creatine kinase–myocardial band (CK-MB) and (B) cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and on cardiac tissue oxidative stress biomarkers: (C) malondialdehyde (MDA), (D) reduced glutathione (GSH), (E) superoxide dismutase (SOD), and (F) heart weight. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. Significance levels are indicated as follows: ns, not significant; P < 0.05; P < 0.01; P < 0.001; P < 0.0001. Exact adjusted P values are reported in the Results section.

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  FIGURE 2. Representative photomicrographs of longitudinal sections of left ventricular myocardium of the control group I (A) and Taif Rose extract group II (B), demonstrating branching and anastomosing cardiac muscle fibers with myofibrils (MF) parallel to the muscle fibers’ longitudinal axis. It exhibits acidophilic sarcoplasm with transverse striations (double-struck arrow), centrally placed ovoid vesicular nuclei (black arrow), and thin interstitial CT spaces (*) containing blood capillaries (arrowhead) and fibroblasts with flat dark nuclei (dot arrow). (H&E × 40).

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  FIGURE 3. Representative photomicrographs of longitudinal sections of left ventricular myocardium of the lead acetate (Group III) demonstrating (A,B) loss of normal cardiac muscle fiber (MF) architecture with wide areas of complete loss of cardiac fibers (thick arrow) with darkly stained pyknotic nuclei of cardiomyocytes (thin arrow). Notice the wide separation (*) of cardiac muscle fibers. (C) Some cardiac muscle fibers (MF) appear shrunken and exhibit deeply stained homogenous acidophilic sarcoplasm and pyknotic nuclei (thin arrow), while others present perinuclear sarcoplasmic vacuolation (curved arrow). Notice fragmented, degraded muscle fibers (MF) with dilated, congested capillaries in-between (arrowhead) within the widened endomysium. (D) A congested blood vessel is also visible (V). (H&E × 40).

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  FIGURE 4. Representative photomicrographs of longitudinal sections of left ventricular myocardium of the lead + Taif Rose co-treated group (Group IV) demonstrating (A,B) remarkably preserved branching and anastomosing cardiac muscle fibers with myofibrils (MF) parallel to the muscle fibers’ longitudinal axis. It exhibits acidophilic sarcoplasm with transverse striations (double-struck arrow), centrally placed ovoid vesicular nuclei (black arrow), and thin interstitial CT spaces (*). A mildly congested blood vessel (arrowhead) between the muscle fibers is seen compared to the lead-only group. (H&E × 40).

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  FIGURE 5. Representative photomicrographs of longitudinal sections of left ventricular myocardium stained with Masson’s Trichrome staining, demonstrating blue-colored collagen fibers in the connective tissue spaces between cardiomyocytes (↑) and around the blood vessels (dotted arrow) (A,B): demonstrates delicate collagen fibers in the control group I (A) and Taif Rose extract group II (B,C) exhibits an increased amount of collagen fibers in the lead acetate (Group III). (D) Displays a lesser amount of collagen fibers in the recovery group. (Masson’s Trichrome stain × 20). (E) Bar charts demonstrating the quantitative analysis of collagen fiber area % in the experimental groups. Data are presented as mean ± SD. ns: non-significant and **** P < 0.0001.