Abstract: Objective: To study the effect of ferulic acid on diabetic cardiomyopathy of type 2 diabetic mice induced by high fat diets combined with low dose streptozotocin (STZ), and to explore its possible mechanism.Methods: Twenty male ICR mice were fed with high fat diets for 6 weeks, and then were injected intraperitoneally with STZ (30 mg/kg) for 5 continuous days. Nine days later, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) was detected, mouse with FBG over 11.1 mmol/L was considered as diabetes mellitus. Twenty diabetic mice were randomly divided into two groups:model group and ferulic acid group (200 mg/kg, i.g.), 10 in each group. Taking another ten age and sex matched mice as a control group. After continuous administration for 8 weeks, FBG, body weight, heart weight, left ventricular weight, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected, the heart mass index (HMI) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were calculated. Masson staining was employed to observe pathological changes; immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), collagen Ⅲ in the myocardial tissue.Results: Compared with the model group, HMI, LVMI, the content of MDA were significantly decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05) and the activity of SOD was notably increased (P<0.05) in the ferulic acid group. Collagen deposition and interstitial fibrosis in myocardial tissue were improved. Immunohistochemistry showed that expressions of TGF-β1 and type Ⅲ collagen remarkably decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05) in myocardial tissue.Conclusion: Ferulic acid has a protective effect on diabetic cardiomyopathy in diabetic mice, and its mechanism may be linked to anti-oxidation, inhibiting the expression of TGF-β1 protein and reducing the deposition of production oftypeⅢcollagen.

Key words: ferulic acid, diabetic cardiomyopathy, oxidative stress, fibrosis, mice