Protective effect of ghrelin against tilmicosin-induced left ventricular dysfunction in rats

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the possible protective effects of ghrelin against tilmicosin-induced acute ventricular dysfunction in rats. Forty adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups: control, ghrelin, tilmicosin, and ghrelin + tilmicosin. The left ventricular structural and functional parameters together with cardiac biomarker levels were evaluated. The results showed that tilmicosin treatment alone significantly decreased the left ventricular fractional shortening, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular stroke volume, and cardiac output when compared with control group. In addition, tilmicosin led to a significant increase in left ventricular internal dimension in systole and left ventricular fractional end-systolic volume. At the same time, serum lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and creatine kinase-myocardial B fraction levels were significantly increased in tilmicosin-treated group when compared with control group. However, ghrelin pretreatment significantly prevented the left ventricular internal dimension in systole, left ventricular fractional end-systolic volume, left ventricular stroke volume, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular fractional shortening, and cardiac output changes caused by tilmicosin. Moreover, ghrelin pretreatment could reduce significantly serum lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and creatine kinase-myocardial B fraction levels. These data indicated that ghrelin treatment may provide a protective effect against tilmicosin-induced left ventricular systolic dysfunction.