HMOX1 and infarction: Overall, pre-treatment with 40 mg of LU could significantly reduce the cardiac infarct size, serum diagnostic cardiac markers, lipid peroxidation product (MDA), inflammatory markers (pro-inflammatory cytokines) and apoptotic markers (caspases) as well as markedly upregulated the protein expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 to confer its strong cardioprotective activity against ISO-induced myocardial damage.