<i>Alpinia galanga</i> Rhizome Extract Shields Against Noise‐Induced Cardiotoxicity via Antioxidant and Anti‐Inflammatory Actions: Experimental Insights

Abstract

This study evaluated the cardioprotective effects of Alpinia galanga rhizome extract (GRE) against noise-induced myocardial injury via phytochemical profiling, molecular docking, and in vivo assessment. Male Wistar rats (n = 6/group) were assigned to the following four groups: control (C), control + GRE (100 mg/kg), noise-exposed (N), and noise-exposed + GRE (N+GRE, 100 mg/kg). Rats in the N and N+GRE groups were exposed to 90 dB(A) white noise for 2 h/day for 28 days, with GRE administered orally throughout the exposure period. Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of flavonoids and phenolic acids with known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In vitro, GRE significantly reduced nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. In vivo, noise exposure elevated cardiac malondialdehyde levels, impaired antioxidant enzyme activity, and increased circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) levels. GRE treatment restored redox balance, suppressed proinflammatory mediator levels, and improved histopathological alterations. Molecular docking analysis indicated strong binding of GRE phytoconstituents to HO-1 and TNF-α, supporting the observed in vivo effects. These findings demonstrate that GRE mitigates noise-induced cardiac injury through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, highlighting its therapeutic potential.