Shensong Yangxin capsule reduces atrial fibrillation susceptibility by inhibiting atrial fibrosis in rats with post-myocardial infarction heart failure.

Purpose: Shensong Yangxin (SSYX) capsule is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used widely to treat cardiac arrhythmia. This study aimed to assess whether SSYX prevents atrial fibrillation (AF) after chronic myocardial infarction (MI)-induced heart failure and to determine the underlying mechanisms.

Materials and methods: The study included 45 male Sprague Dawley rats. The rats underwent MI induction or sham surgery. One week after MI induction surgery, we performed serial echocardiography and administered SSYX capsule to some rats that experienced MI. After 4 weeks of treatment, AF inducibility was assessed with transesophageal programmed electrical stimulation technology. Additionally, multielectrode array assessment, histological analysis, and Western blot analysis were performed.

Results: AF inducibility was significantly lower in SSYX rats than in MI rats (33.3% vs 73.3%, P <0.05). Additionally, conduction velocities in the left atrium were greater in SSYX rats than in MI rats. Moreover, SSYX decreased left atrial fibrosis, downregulated TGF-β1, MMP-9, TIMP-I, and type I and III collagen expressions, and inhibited the differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts to myofibroblasts.

Conclusion: SSYX reduces AF inducibility after MI by improving left atrial conduction function via the inhibition of left atrial fibrosis. It prevents the development of an MI-induced vulnerable substrate for AF.