Iranian Heart Association Iranian Heart Journal 27 2 2026 04 01 Evaluation of the Effects of p-Coumaric Acid on Oxidative Stress, Electrocardiographic Parameters, and Cardiac Arrhythmias in a CaCl2-Induced Arrhythmia Model in Rats 65 80 242141 EN Mohammadreza Naderi Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Persian Gulf Physiology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Mahin Dianat Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Persian Gulf Physiology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran. Mohammad Badavi Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Persian Gulf Physiology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran. Zahra Mansouri Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Persian Gulf Physiology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran. Journal Article 2025 05 28 Background: Cardiovascular diseases remain a leading global cause of mortality, with sudden cardiac death-primarily resulting from arrhythmias-accounting for nearly half of these fatalities. Limited research has explored the impact of p-coumaric acid (P-co) on chemically induced arrhythmias. Given the cardioprotective role of antioxidants, this study aimed to investigate the effects of P-co on oxidative stress, electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters, and cardiac arrhythmias in Wistar rats using a calcium chloride (CaCl2)-induced arrhythmia model. Methods: Forty-eight Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: (1) Control (normal saline); (2) CaCl2 (normal saline + CaCl2 140 mg/kg); (3–5) CaCl2 + P-co 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, respectively; and (6) P-co 100 mg/kg. P-co was administered orally for 10 consecutive days, followed by an intravenous injection of CaCl2 via the femoral vein on the final day. Electrophysiological assessment and arrhythmia evaluation were conducted using lead II ECG. Furthermore, biochemical analyses measured oxidative stress and cardiac injury markers, including MDA, CK-MB, LDH, SOD, CAT, and GPx, across all groups. Results: Intravenous injection of CaCl2 led to significant changes in ECG parameters and the development of arrhythmias. Pretreatment with P-co significantly improved the observed changes. Compared with the CaCl2 group, P-co pretreatment reduced cardiac damage markers and lipid peroxidation and enhanced antioxidant enzymes. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the intravenous administration of CaCl2 induces cardiac arrhythmias and oxidative stress in heart tissue. As a natural polyphenol and antioxidant, P-co exhibited a protective effect against CaCl2-induced cardiac damage. (Iranian Heart Journal 2026; 27(2): 65-80)

https://journal.iha.org.ir/article_242141_f9202914d827852fdf4ce97b7efdea47.pdf