title: Reduction of atrial fibrillation by Tanshinone IIA in chronic heart failure.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to confirm the effect of Tanshinone IIA (TAN) on the prevention of AF in chronic heart failure (CHF), and to elucidate the underlying electrophysiological mechanisms for the antiarrhythmic effects of TAN at the level of the atrium in an experimental model of CHF. In 10 female rabbits, CHF was induced by rapid ventricular pacing, leading to a significant decrease in ejection fraction in the presence of a dilated left ventricle and atrial enlargement. Twelve rabbits were sham-operated and served as controls. Isolated hearts were perfused using the Langendorff method. Burst pacing was used to induce AF. Monophasic action potential recordings showed an increase of atrial action potential duration (aAPD) and effective refractory period (aERP) in CHF hearts compared with sham hearts. Infusion of acetylcholine (1μm) and isoproterenol (1μm) led to AF in all failing hearts and in 11 sham hearts. Simultaneous infusion of TAN (10μm) remarkably reduced inducibility of AF in 50% of sham and 50% of failing hearts. TAN had no effect on aAPD but significantly increased aERP, leading to a marked increase in atrial post-repolarization refractoriness. Moreover, TAN application moderately increased interatrial conduction time. TAN has been shown to be effective in reducing the inducibility of AF in an experimental model of AF. The antiarrhythmic effect is mainly due to prolongations of atrial post-repolarization refractoriness and a moderate increase in interatrial conduction time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhifeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Chemical Biology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Changzheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Chemical Biology Research Center, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: dzcheng_wmu@163.com.
authors.forename: Dezhi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000109:Acetylcholine; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016275:Atrial Function / Q000187:drug effects; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D000067268:Isolated Heart Preparation; D007545:Isoproterenol; D011817:Rabbits; D012032:Refractory Period, Electrophysiological / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; C021751:tanshinone; D007545:Isoproterenol; D000109:Acetylcholine
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Chronic heart failure; Post-repolarization refractoriness; Tanshinone IIA