A Promising Study on Myocardial Protection

PUA’s Faculty of Pharmacy hosted the Master’s thesis defense of researcher Barbara Botros, Teaching Assistant in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Her research, titled “The Potential Protective Effect of Astaxanthin and Aspirin, Alone or Combined, via Modulating Inflammatory Pathways in Isoproterenol-Induced Myocardial Infarction in Rats,” provides significant insights into cardiovascular health.

The supervisory and examination committee included eminent professors from Alexandria University, PUA, and the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST). The study revealed that high doses of Astaxanthin possess cardioprotective properties comparable to Aspirin due to its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Most notably, the research demonstrated that combination therapy (Aspirin & Astaxanthin) achieves a synergistic effect that surpasses individual treatments. This combination effectively targets the NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 inflammasome signaling pathway, restores hemodynamic efficiency, and regulates heart rate.

The significance of this research lies in highlighting promising pharmacological interventions to mitigate the risks of myocardial infarction, a leading cause of mortality worldwide. The examination committee praised the scientific rigor of the thesis and awarded the researcher a Master’s degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology, noting that these findings serve as a robust foundation for future clinical studies to benefit the medical community and public health.