Effects of Copaiba Oil in Peripheral Markers of Oxidative Stress in a Model of Cor Pulmonale in Rats

Background: To date, copaiba oil's systemic effects have never documented in Cor pulmonale induced by monocrotaline. Objectives: To investigate copaiba oil's effects in peripheral markers of oxidative stress in rats with Cor pulmonale. Methods: Male Wistar rats (170 +/- 20g, n=7/group) were divided into four groups: control (CO), monocrotaline (MCT), copaiba oil (O), and monocrotaline+copaiba oil (MCT-O). MCT (60 mg/kg i.p.) was administered, and after one week, treatment with copaiba oil (400 mg/kg/day-gavage-14 days) was begun. Echocardiography was performed and, later, trunk blood collection was performed for oxidative stress evaluations. Statistical analysis: two-way ANOVA with Student-Newman-Keuls post-hoc test. P values<0.05 were considered significant. Results: Copaiba oil reduced pulmonary vascular resistance and right ventricle (RV) hypertrophy (Fulton index (mg/mg): MCT-O=0.39 +/- 0.03; MCT=0.49 +/- 0.01), and improved RV systolic function (RV shortening fraction, %) in the MCT-O group (17.8 +/- 8.2) as compared to the MCT group (9.4 +/- 3.1; p<0.05). Moreover, in the MCT-O group, reactive oxygen species and carbonyl levels were reduced, and antioxidant parameters were increased in the peripheral blood (p<0.05). Conclusions: Our results suggest that copaiba oil has an interesting systemic antioxidant effect, which is reflected in the improvements in function and RV morphometry in this Cor pulmonale model. Cor pulmonale attenuation promoted by copaiba oil coincided with a reduction in systemic oxidative stress.