Abstract
Tongguan capsule is a compound Chinese medicine used to treat ischaemic heart diseases. This study aimed to investigate whether Tongguan capsule‐derived herb (TGD) has a preventive effect on atrial fibrillation (AF) in post‐myocardial infarction (MI) rats and to determine the underlying mechanisms. MI was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. TGD was administered to the post‐MI rats over a 4‐week period. The TGD‐treated rats had lower rates of AF inducibility and shorter AF durations than the MI rats. TGD improved the left atrial (LA) conduction velocity and homogeneity. It reduced the fibrosis‐positive areas and the protein levels of collagen types I and III in the left atrium. In vitro, it inhibited the expression of collagen types I and III by inhibiting the proliferation, migration, differentiation and cytokine secretion of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). In conclusion, the current study demonstrated that TGD reduces susceptibility to AF and improves LA conduction function in rats with post‐MI by inhibiting left atrial fibrosis and modulating CFs. Targeting the CF population may be a novel antiarrhythmic therapeutic approach.
Highlights
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia
The present study aimed to investigate whether Tongguan capsule‐derived herb (TGD) can inhibit AF in post‐myocardial infarction (MI) stage by reducing left atrial (LA) fibrosis and to explore the underlying mechanisms
This study found that TGD, a Chinese herb medicine, could reduce AF susceptibility in post‐MI rats by inhibiting LA fibrosis via modulating cardiac fibroblasts (CFs)
Summary
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia. It has become increasingly recognized as a major global health burden. Current therapies for AF include drugs and ablation, which treat symptoms and reduce the risk of tachycardia‐induced cardiomyopathy and stroke.[1]. Several large randomized trials have shown no benefit from antiarrhythmic drug‐derived rhythm control in terms of mortality. Existing antiarrhythmic drug approaches have limited effectiveness and are associated with the risk of serious complications, proarrhythmia and organ toxicity,[2] whereas ablation requires the destruction of viable tissue. Complications, costs and difficulties associated with ablation have encouraged the development of better and safer drug therapies
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