Figure 7.

Effects of BBR on myocardial damage in a rat cancer cachexia model (A) Experimental protocol. F344 male rats (5 weeks old, 5 rats each group, SLC Japan, Shizuoka, Japan) were inoculated with RCN9 cancer cells (1 × 10⁷) intraperitoneally with or without administration of BBR (48 μg/mL, free drink). (B) Body weight. (C) Tumor weight. (D) Ascites volume. (E) Cytokine concentration in the ascites fluid. (F) Cardiac weight. (G) Myocardial maturity (SDS-MYL1). (H) Myocardial ROS (4HNE). (I) Myocardial cell death (serum Troponin T levels). (J) Autophagy (LC3B). (K) Cardiac function (serum BNP). Statistical significance was calculated using an ordinary ANOVA. N, no tumor; C, control; BBR, berberine; HMGB1, high-mobility group box-1; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; SDS-MYL1, sodium dodecyl sulfate-soluble myosin light chain-1; 4HNE, 4-hydroxynonenal; LC3, microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3-B; BNP, brain natriuretic peptide.