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Inotropic and cardioprotective effects 
of Daucus carota Linn. on  isopro-
terenol-induced myocardial infarction  

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Introduction 

Daucus carota Linn. (Family: Umbeliferae) is an annual 
or biennial herb, whose roots are eaten raw and also 
cooked in many parts of the world. It is cultivated 
extensively through out the world including India. The 
root of the plant is used as a diuretic and inotropic 
(Chaterjee and Prakesh, 1995). The volatile oil from the 
seeds are reported to possess analgesic and anti-
inflammatory activity (Prochezhian and Ansari, 2000). 
The roots are reported to possess hepatoprotective 
property (Bishayee et al., 1995). Extensive phyto-
chemical investigations carried out on D. carota 
revealed the presence of many chemical constituents 
including flavanoids and glycosides such as apigenin-4

-o-β-glucoside and apigenin-7-o-β galactopyranosyl-β-
D-mannopyronoside (Kritikar and Basu, 1981), which 
are considered significant for inotropic property. All 
these factors and lack of scientific data on the cardiac 
activities led to the investigation of the inotropic and 
cardioprotective potential of D. carota aqueous extract 
in rat models. 
  

 

Materials and Methods 

Plant material 

Fresh tuberous roots of D. carota were purchased from 
a vegetable market during September 2006 (Chennai, 

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Inotropic and cardioprotective effects of Daucus carota Linn. on  
isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction  

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Received:                              3 June 2008 
Accepted:                              7 June 2008 
Available online:                 8 June 2008  
 
DOI: 10.3329/bjp.v3i2.849 
 
 
 
 
 

Cite this article: 
Muralidharan P, Balamurugan G, 
Kumar P. Inotropic and cardioprotec-
tive effects of Daucus carota Linn. on  
isoproterenol-induced myocardial 
infarction. Bangladesh J Pharmacol. 
2008; 3: 74-79. 

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Daucus carota Linn. tubers were extracted with water and analyzed for its 
inotropic and cardioprotective effects by measuring various biochemical 
parameters at the test doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg. Isoproterenol (5.3 mg/kg 
and 8.5 mg/kg) was administered subcutaneously on 29th and 30th day 
respectively in order to induce myocardial infarction. Cardiac tonicity was 
estimated by evaluating  Na+K+ATPase, Mg2+ATPase and Ca2+ATPase levels 
in heart. The levels of Na+K+ATPase and Mg2+ATPase were decreased and 
that of Ca2+ATPase was increased in extract-treated group significantly 
(p<0.001). Cardioprotection was assessed by estimating serum aspartate 
transaminase, alanine transaminase, lipid peroxidase, and lactate 
dehydrogenase levels and cardiac total protein and lipid peroxidase, and 
lactate dehydrogenase. The levels altered by isoproterenol were restored 
significantly by the administration of the extract. The result of the study 
implies that D. carota is a potential source to protect heart from myocardial 
infarction and to maintain its tonicity. 

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Tamil Nadu, India). The identity of the species was 
confirmed by Dr. P. Jayaraman, Director, Plant Ana-
tomy Research Centre, Chennai. A voucher specimen 
was deposited at the Department of Pharmacology, C. 
L. Baid Metha College of Pharmacy, Chennai, India. 

Preparation of extract 

Fresh tuberous roots of D. carota were washed with 
running water and cut into small pieces. It was dried 
under shade and 500 g of the dried root pieces were 
made into a coarse powder. The powder was passed 
through a 20 mesh sieve and extracted with distilled 
water for 24 hours by cold maceration at room 
temperature (Chopra et al., 1992). The extract was 
filtered and concentrated with the help of rotary 
vacuum evaporator. The percentage yield was calcula-
ted as 16.5% with respect to the dried material. The 
extract obtained was suspended in 1% sodium carboxy
-methyl cellulose for animal administration. 

Experimental animals 

In bred adult Wistar rats (150-200 g) of either sex 
obtained from animal house of C. L. Baid Metha 
College of Pharmacy were used for the study. They 
were maintained in a well ventilated room with 12:12 
hours light:dark cycle in poly propylene cages and fed 
with standard pellet diet (Hindustan Lever Ltd, 
Mumbai) and water ad libitum. All the animals were 
acclimatized to the laboratory conditions one week 
prior to the ini-tiation of the study.  

Acute toxicity studies 

Rats selected by random sampling technique were 
used in the study. Acute oral toxicity was performed as 
per OECD-423 guidelines (Ecobichon, 1997). The 
animals were fasted overnight, provided only water 
after which EMC was administered to the groups 
orally at the dose level of 5 mg/kg body weight by 
gastric intubation and the groups were observed for 14 
days. If mortality was observed in 2 or 3 animals, then 
the dose administered was assigned as a toxic dose. If 
mortality was observed in one animal, then the same 
dose was repeated again to confirm the toxic dose. If 
mortality was not observed, the procedure was 
repeated for further higher doses such as 50, 300 and 
2,000 mg/kg body weight. The animals were observed 

for toxic symptoms such as behavioral changes, 
locomotion, convulsions and mortality for 72 hours. 

Inotropic effect 

The animals were divided into 3 groups each compri-
sing of 6 animals. Group I served as a control group 
receiving 1% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (1 
mL/100 g). Group II and III animals received aqueous 
extract of D. carota at a dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg 
suspended in 1% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose 
respectively for 7 days. On day 8, the animals were 
sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the heart was 
dissected out, washed with ice-cold physiological 
saline and 100 mg of it was weighed and homogenized 
in chilled 0.1 M tris hydrochloric acid in potter-
elvehjem teflon homogenizer. The homogenized sam-
ples were analyzed for enzymes such as Na+K+ATPase 
(Bonting, 1970), Ca2+ATPase (Hjerten and Pan, 1983) 
and Mg2+ATPase (Ohinishi et al., 1982). 

Cardioprotective activity 

The animals were divided into 4 groups of 6 animals 
each. Group I animals served as vehicle control 
receiving 1% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (1 
mL/100 g body weight) for 28 days. Group II animals 
were standard diet and water ad libitum for initial 28 
days and administered isoproterenol (5.25 mg/kg and 
8.5 mg/kg) subcutaneously on 29th and 30th day 
respectively (Rona et al., 1956). Group III and IV 
animals received the extract at a dose of 250 and 500 
mg/kg respectively for 28 days and administered 
isoproternol (5.23 mg/kg and 8.5 mg/kg) subcuta-
neously on 29th and 30th day respectively. After 30 days 
of experimental period the animals of all groups were 
anesthetized with phenobarbital sodium (35 mg/kg) 
intraperitoneally and blood was drawn from external 
jugular vein of the rat. Serum was separated by 
centrifugation for the estimation of serum aspartate 
transaminase (Reitman and Frankel, 1957), serum 
alanine transaminase (Mohur and Cooke, 1979), serum 
lipid peroxidase (Okhawa and Onishi, 1979) and serum 
lactate dehydrogenase (Alam, 2002). The animals were 
then sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the heart 
was dissected out, washed with ice-cold physiological 
saline and 100 mg of it was weighed and homogenized 
in chilled 0.1M tris hydrochloric acid buffer (5 mL; pH 

 Bangladesh J Pharmacol 2008; 3: 74-79 75 



 

7.4) at 4°C. The homogenate was centrifuged and the 
supernatant liquid was used for the estimation of total 
protein (Lowry et al., 1951), lactate dehydrogenase 
(Nieland, 1955) and lipid peroxidase (Okhawa and 
Onishi, 1979). 

 

Results 

There was a significant decrease in membrane 
Na+K+ATPase and Mg2+ATPase and significant 
increase in membrane Ca2+ ATPase in animals treated 
with aqueous extracts of Daucus carota extract (p<0.01) 
when compared to control group in a dose dependent 
manner (Table I). Serum aspartate transaminase  and 
alanine transaminase levels were significantly 
increased (p<0.001) in isoproterenol challenged group, 
when compared to control groups. Extract at the dose 
of 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg showed a significant 
decrease in the enzyme levels (p<0.01 and p<0.001), 
when compared to isoproterenol-treated group. Lipid 
peroxidase in serum was significantly increased 
(p<0.001) in isoproterenol-induced groups. Treatment 
with at 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg doses showed 
significant decrease (p<0.01) in lipid peroxidase level, 
when compared to isoproterenol-treated group. 
Lactate dehydrogenase levels of serum significantly 
increased (p<0.001) in isoproterenol challenged group, 
whereas extract at the dose of 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg 
showed a significant decrease in the enzyme levels 
(p<0.01 and p<0.001) (Table II).  Significant (p<0.001) 
decrease in the total protein was observed in 
isoproterenol treated group, when compared to control 
group. Treatment with extract (500 mg/kg) brought 
the total protein level to near normal level (p<0.001) in 
heart homogenate. The extract-treated group at 250 
mg/kg dose showed  increased (p<0.01) protein level 
when compared to isoproterenol challenged rats. Lipid 

peroxidation in heart homogenate was significantly 
increased (p<0.001) in isoproterenol-induced groups. 
Treatment with at 250 and 500 mg/kg dose  showed 
significant decrease (p<0.01 and p<0.001) in lipid 
peroxidase level, when compared to isoproterenol-
treated group. Lactate dehydrogenase in heart homo-
genate was significantly decreased (p<0.001) in isopro-
terenol-induced group whereas treatment with 250 and 
500 mg/kg dose of the extract showed significant 
increase (p<0.001) in lactate dehydrogenase level, 
when compared to isoproterenol-treated group.  

 

Discussion 

Cardiac glycosides and catecholamine have been used 
as the main therapeutic drugs in the treatment of 
congestive heart failure (Kitada et al., 1987);  however 

the dangers of cardiac glycoside intoxication are well 
documented and doubts have been expressed about 
their long-term effectiveness. The use of catecholamine 
is limited by their insufficient differentiation between 
the positive ionotropic and chronotropic actions, their 
potential arrythmogenic properties and tachyphylaxis 
is due to receptor down regulation (Beller et al., 1971). 
The cardiac enzyme profile indicates that extract of 
Daucus carota exhibited inotropic like activity which 
manifested as a result of general decrease in the 
activity of Na+K+ATPase and Mg2+ATPase and an 
increase in Ca2+ ATPase. This inhibition of 
Na+K+ATPase is similar to action of cardiac glycosides 
(Akera and Brody, 1997). Cardiac glycosides are 
specific and unique inhibitors of Na+ K+ATPase at 
normal concentrations. Na+K+ ATPase inhibition by 
cardiac glycosides leads ultimately to increase in 
intracellular Ca2+ concentration through Na+/Ca2+ 

exchanger and an associated increase in slow inward 
Ca2+ currents as well as in transient Ca2+ currents (Goto 

76 Bangladesh J Pharmacol 2008; 3: 74-79 

Table I 

Effect of Daucus carota extract on clinical marker enzymes 

 Na+K+ATPase Ca2+ATPase Ca2+ATPase 

Control 0.870 ± 0.048  0.420 ± 0.029 0.765 ± 0.049 

Extract (250 mg/kg) 0.730 ± 0.073a 0.680 ± 0.042a 0.641 ± 0.042a 

Extract (500 mg/kg) 0.670 ± 0.087a 0.716 ± 0.047a 0.582 ± 0.034a 

Values are Mean ± SD. n = 6, ap<0.01  



 

et al., 1992). 

The present investigation reveals the cardio-protective 
effect of the extract, a neutraceutical on isoproterenol-
induced myocardial infractions in rats. Myocardium 
contains an abundant concentration of diagnostic 
marker enzymes of myocardial infractions like lactate 
dehydrogenase and transaminases and once 
metabolically damaged, releases its content into the 
extracellular fluid (Suchalata and ShyamalaDevi, 2004). 
In isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarcted rats, the 
increased activity of serum marker enzymes 
accompanied by their concomitant reduction in the 
heart homogenate confirm the onset of myocardial 
necrosis. Hence the total concentration of the marker 
enzymes were found to be decreased in the heart tissue 
of isoproterenol infarcted rats when compared with 
the control, which may be the reflection of conse-
quences of cellular injury due to lipid peroxides. 
Isoproterenol is well known to generate free radicals 
and to stimulate lipid peroxidation, which will be a 
causative factor for irreversible damage to the 
myocardium (Senthil Kumar et al., 2001).  

The increased levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive 
substances indicate the excessive formation of free 
radicals and activation of lipid peroxidation system 
resulting in irreversible damage to the heart in animals 
subjected to isoproterenol stress. The significant 

increase observed in the levels of lipid peroxidase in 
serum and heart of isoproterenol infarcted rats is 
compared with control. Following treatment with 
extract, serum marker enzymes of rats were found to 
be significantly decreased whereas the heart tissue 
marker enzyme showed significant increased level 
when compared to isoproterenol-induced myocardial 
infarcted rats and this could be due to the antioxidant 
and free radical scavenging property of the extract. 
Epidemiological studies on dietary intake of 
carotenoids have been implicated to be helpful in the 
decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (Knekt et al., 
1994). In a study with six prospective dietary 
carotenoids and coronary heart disease cases, four 
measured provitamin A carotenoid consumption, one 
the consumption of fruits and vegetables high in 
carotenoids and one the total of five carotenoids (α- 
and β-carotene, lutein, lycopene and cryptoxanthin). 
The animal which consumed all the five carotenoids 
was found with relatively low risk of events of 
coronary heart diseases (Allard et al., 1994). In the 
extract pretreated group, rats showed a significant 
decrease in lipid peroxides level both in serum and 
heart tissue when compared with isoproterenol 
myocardial infarcted rats. Previous investigations have 
shown that beta carotene is a major carotenoid 
precursor of vitamin A which can efficiently quench 
singlet oxygen and function as anti-oxidant (Burton 

 Bangladesh J Pharmacol 2008; 3: 74-79 77 

Table II 

Effects of Daucus carota extract on serum and cardiac enzymes and total protein levels  

 Control  Isoproterenol  Extract (250 mg/kg) 
plus isoproterenol 

Extract (500 mg/kg) 
plus isoproterenol 

Serum enzymes     

       Aspartate transaminase (IU/L) 19.08 ± 0.97 36.77 ± 0.73b 34.79 ± 0.89a 32.22 ± 0.73a 

       Alanine transainase (IU/L) 26.83 ± 1.01 44.83 ± 1.23b 43.31 ± 0.88a 38.22 ± 0.84b 

       Lipid peroxidase  
       (nmols of TBARS/mg of protein) 

3.47 ± 0.17 5.60 ± 0.28b 4.94 ± 0.41a 4.06 ± 0.52a 

       Lactate dehydrogenase (IU/L) 4.39 ± 0.58 7.31 ± 0.87b 6.29 ± 0.61a 5.55 ± 0.52b 

     

Cardiac total protein and enzymes     

       Total protein (mg/g tissue)  109.3 ± 2.95 81.84 ± 1.64b 85.05 ± 1.32a 90.31 ± 2.96b 

       Lipid peroxidase  
       (nmols of TBARS/mg of protein) 

6.60 ± 0.52 9.02 ± 1.31b 7.90 ± 0.94a 6.99 ± 1.16b 

       Lactate dehydrogenase (IU/L) 138.52 ± 2.02 114.22 ± 2.13b 120.07 ± 2.92b 124.70 ± 2.73b 

Values are Mean ± SD. n = 6, a-isoproterenol vs. control; b-isoproterenol vs. extract plus isoproterenol, ap<0.01, bp<0.001 



 

and Ingold, 1994). 

The therapeutic efficacy of the extract may be due to its 
anti-oxidant, anti-lipid peroxidative, free radical 
scavenging and inotropic property that could have 
prevented isoproterenol-induced tissue injury. Thus it 
could be concluded that the extract protects 
experimental myocardial infraction in rats. Further 
studies have to be performed on inotropic activity in 
isolated guinea pig atrial preparations, which is 
expected to reveal the exact mechanism of the extracts. 

 

Ethical Issue 

The study was approved by the Institutional Animal Ethical 
Committee (Ref No: IAEC 12/15 - CLBMCP, dated 17-08-
2006). 

 

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 Bangladesh J Pharmacol 2008; 3: 74-79 79 

�ƵƚŚŽƌ�/ŶĨŽ 
G. Balamurugan (Principal contact) 
e-mail: balamurugangunasekaran@gmail.com  

 


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