Supplementation With Spirulina Reduces Infarct Size and Ameliorates Cardiac Function in a Pig Model of STEMI

Abstract

Background and Aims: Myocardial infarction (MI) is the clinical manifestation of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. Spirulina is an algae known to ameliorate cardiometabolic disorders and with proven anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. We investigated, in a highly translatable animal model, whether oral supplementation with spirulina protects against the deleterious effects triggered by ST-elevation MI (STEMI).Methods: Pigs were fed a regular diet supplemented with spirulina (1 g/animal/bid) or placebo-control for 10 days. Thereafter, animals were subjected to 1.5 h percutaneous balloon-induced coronary occlusion (STEMI) followed by 2.5 h reperfusion and then sacrificed. We assessed infarct size and cardiac function. Blood samples and infarcted and remote myocardial tissue were obtained.Results: Spirulina supplementation reduced infarct size by 64%, increased myocardial salvage by 18%, and improved cardiac function by 30% vs. controls (p < 0.05). These benefits were associated with attenuation in DNA-oxidative damage and apoptotic markers and increased iNOS in the infarcted myocardium, higher AMPK activation in the remote myocardium, and lower myocardial MCP-1 expression. Systemically, spirulina attenuated Cox-2 expression in STEMI-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and enhanced TNF-α release acutely post-STEMI. Additionally, spirulina decreased weight gain progression over time (p < 0.05) without changes in lipids, glucose, liver or kidney parameters.Conclusion: A 10-day supplementation with spirulina exerts cardioprotection in a preclinical setting of STEMI by limiting cardiac damage and improving ventricular contractility through anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.

Exploring the Nutritional and Medicinal potential of Spirulina

“…This effect is achieved through antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms, leading to a reduction in infarction size and improved cardiac function. Spirulina supplementation appears to be safe and may offer a straightforward approach to counteracting detrimental mechanisms triggered during ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), potentially enhancing myocardial salvage in the setting of myocardial infarction (MI) (Vilahur et al, 2022) In a study, two lyophilized peptides from Spirulina digestion were orally administered to SHR rats. The peptides were found to reduce blood pressure for up to 8 hours after supplementation, outperforming captopril.…”

Effect of Dietary Blue-Green Microalgae Inclusion as a Replacement to Soybean Meal on Laying Hens’ Performance, Egg Quality, Plasma Metabolites, and Hematology

“…SP has abundant contents of the macro- and micronutrients, and therefore, it is used to produce safe nutritional and medicinal compounds [ 3 , 4 ]. It could be simply harvested and commercially processed into appropriate forms to be used as human and animal nutrition [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. SP comprises high levels of protein (50–70%), carbohydrates (15–20%), lipids (5–7%), minerals (6–9%), and vitamins (1–4%) [ 1 , 10 ].…”