Rosemary Extract Attenuates Nandrolone Decanoate-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Male Wistar Rats: Role of Il-1β Suppression and Oxidative Stress Alleviation

Nandrolone decanoate (ND) misuse is associated with cardiotoxicity driven largely by oxidative stress and inflammation. This study evaluated the potential cardioprotective effect of rosemary extract (Rosmarinus officinalis) against ND-induced cardiac injury in male Wistar rats. Sixty-five rats were allocated into four groups: control (n = 10), rosemary (n = 10), ND (n = 15), and ND + rosemary (n = 30). ND was administered intramuscularly at 20 mg/kg once weekly for 5 weeks, while rosemary extract was given orally at 400 mg/kg/day throughout the experiment. Serum cardiac biomarkers, lipid profile, myocardial oxidative stress markers, cardiac interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and histopathological changes were assessed. ND induced marked cardiotoxicity, evidenced by significant increases in serum troponin I (5.69 ± 0.89 vs 0.88 ± 0.10 ng/mL), CK-MB, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, malondialdehyde, and cardiac IL-1β (30.38 ± 0.87 vs 22.27 ± 0.27 pg/mL), with significant reductions in HDL-C, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase compared with control (all p < 0.001). Co-treatment with rosemary significantly attenuated these alterations, lowering troponin I to 2.15 ± 0.20 ng/mL and IL-1β to 24.97 ± 0.92 pg/mL, improving the lipid profile, restoring antioxidant defenses, and reducing histopathological myocardial injury. These findings suggest that rosemary extract partially protects against ND-induced cardiotoxicity, likely by suppressing IL-1β-mediated inflammation and attenuating oxidative stress.