Background and purpose: Many studies have investigated the cardioprotective effects of olive leaf extract (OLE). None, however, has reported its antiarrhythmic role for in vivo model arrhythmia. This study aimed at investigating the antiarrhythmic effect of OLE andassessing the duration of its use inanesthetized rats. Materials and methods: Forty eight male Wistar rats were divided into six groups of eight. All groups-except group one (the control group)- received OLE (200 mg/kg/day, orally) for 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days, respectively. Then, their left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) was occluded for 30 min under general anesthesia and artificial respiratory support. Direct blood pressure and electrocardiogram (ECG) were continuously monitored before and during the ischemia. Results: The data showed that severity of arrhythmia including ventricular ectopic beats, incidence of ventricular tachycardia (VT), and ventricular fibrillation (VF) reduced significantly in groups that received OLE for at least 14 days. Also, the number and duration of VT and VF episodes decreased significantly in groups five and six, especially the group that received OLE for 28 days. Conclusion: These results show that oral administration of OLE could induce antiarrhythmic effect, if used for more than seven days. Further studies are required to determine the effects of different doses and durations and cellular mechanisms of OLE.

Keywords: Olive leaf extract, arrhythmia, rat, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation

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