Inhibition of PKCβ Mediates Cardioprotective Activity of Ambrex against Isoproterenol-Induced Myocardial Necrosis: in vivo and in silico Studies

Aims and objectives: The current study characterized the morphology of Ambrex formulation by Scanning Electron Microscopy and assessed its cardioprotective activity against Isoproterenol (ISPH)-induced myocardial necrosis in rats by biochemical and histopathological evaluations, and also attempted to predict the prospective protein-targets of Ambrex and the signaling pathway that mediates this activity through molecular docking approach. Materials and methods: Sprague–Dawley male rats (4 groups, 6 rats per group) chosen for the current study were acclimatized to the laboratory conditions for 7 days prior to actual treatment; they were pretreated with Ambrex (40 mg/kg b.wt/day, p.o) everday for 21 days and then intoxicated with ISPH (85 mg/kg b.wt, s.c) on day-20 and 21 to experimentally induce myocardial necrosis. The extent of ISPH-induced myocardial necrosis was quantified in terms of the serum levels of two cardiac biomarkers: creatine kinase-MB and lactate dehydrogenase. The extent of ISPH-induced oxidative stress was quantified in terms of the tissue levels of five oxidative stress biomarkers: superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and lipid peroxidation. Results and discussion: The Scanning Electron Microscopy image of Ambrex formulation showed the formation of nanoparticles with thickness of 65 nm, making Ambrex a unique metal-deficient Siddha-medicine based polyherbal nano-formulation characterized and evaluated in India. Pretreatment with Ambrex attenuated the extent of ISPH-induced oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and generation of reactive oxygen species as reflected by biochemical evaluations, and also ameliorated the degree of ISPH-induced myocardial necrosis and membrane damage as reflected by histopathological evaluations. The results of molecular docking revealed that Withaferin-A and Methyl Commate-A (the key metabolites of Withania somnifera and Ambrex respectively) inhibit Protein KinaseC Beta, and renders Ambrex its cardioprotective activity by maintaining the intracellular antioxidant homeostasis and myocardial membrane architecture.