Data from: Early treatment with pyridostigmine alleviates heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in rats

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors constitute a large and chemically
diverse group of compounds that inhibit the enzyme AChE. Some of these
compounds that are used to treat Alzheimer’s disease have been reported to
have favourable cardiovascular effects, i.e., a 35% reduction of the risk
for cardiovascular disease. There has been a growing interest in AchE
inhibitors as a potential therapeutic approach for cardiovascular
diseases, especially heart failure (HF), since they correct the autonomic
imbalance, a key component in the development of heart failure. In the
present study, HF was induced in male Wistar albino rats using an
isoprenaline model (85 mg/kg/day s.c. for 2 days, followed by 3 weeks of
HF development) of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
Afterwards, rats were treated with pyridostigmine (20 mg/kg/day in tap
water for 14 days), while the controls received no treatment.
Electrocardiographic and echosonographic measurements were obtained, and
samples were taken for antioxidative status measurement and
histopathological analysis. Administration of pyridostigmine resulted in
preservation of cardiac contractile function (↑ EF), coupled with a
decrease in chamber wall thinning (↑ PWDd, ↑ PWDs) and dilatation
progression (↓ LVIDd, ↓ LVIDs). Additionally, histopathological findings
showed significantly reduced tissue damage score and attenuation of
cardiac fibrosis development, indicating the cardioprotective potential of
pyridostigmine when used as treatment for the early stages of heart
failure; however, further investigations are needed to fully investigate
the interplay between the several proposed mechanisms through which AChE
inhibitors express their protective effects.