ABSTRACT
Background: The present study was carried out to evaluate protective effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Pueraria tuberosa (tuber) in arsenic induced cardiotoxicity in Wistar albino rats.
Material and Methods: Dose selection of Pueraria tuberosa was made on the basis of acute oral toxicity study (5, 50, 300, 1000 mg/kg body weight) as per OECD guidelines. Cardiotoxicity was produced in adult wistar rats randomly divided into six animals in six groups for 25 days. Group I rats were administered with drinking water for 30 days. Positive Control (Group II) rats were treated with sodium arsenate (1 mg/kg).Group III rats were treated with sodium arsenate (1mg/kg) and Vitamin E (100 mg/kg).Group IV ,V,VI rats were treated with sodium arsenate (1 mg/kg) and hydroalcoholic extract of Pueraria tuberosa (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg). After 30 days of the treatment, blood samples were collected and analyzed for the serum parameters viz. HDL (High density lipoprotein), Total cholesterol, LDL (Low density lipoprotein), Troponin, Triglycerides and LDH. Antioxidant parameters like Malondialdehyde, catalase, Reduced glutathione and glutathione reductase were estimated. Blood parameters like Haemoglobin, Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), RBC, WBC, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, DNA fragmentation, body weight, organ weight were also estimated. The heart is removed and sectioned for histopathological examination.
Results: The hydroalcoholic extract of Pueraria tuberosa (tuber) inhibits the oxidative stress hypothesis mechanism and influence of calcium homeostasis.
Conclusion: It was concluded that the extract of Pueraria tuberosa (tuber) acts on intracellular calcium ions are increased in the myocardial cells to regulate myocardial hypertrophy.

Keywords: Arsenic trioxide, Cardiotoxicity, blood toxicity, Peurariatuberosa, DNA fragmentation.