BACKGROUND:Arrhythmia, a common cardiac disorder, presents a considerable risk to human health, characterized by symptoms including palpitations and chest tightness, and may result in sudden cardiac death. The Fuling Wenxin Formula (FLWXF), an innovative compound originating from traditional Chinese medicine and consisting of various herbs known for their anti-arrhythmic properties, demonstrates an unclear mechanism of action.
OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to examine the therapeutic effects of FLWXF on "Qi-Yin deficiency" arrhythmia and elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved.
METHODS:The therapeutic effects of FLWXF were assessed using isoproterenol (ISO)-induced arrhythmia models and models indicative of "Qi-Yin deficiency." To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of FLWXF in "Qi-Yin deficiency" arrhythmia, proteomics and metabolomics techniques were used for predictive analysis, which was subsequently validated through reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting.
RESULTS:Our findings demonstrated that FLWXF could ameliorate electrical signal abnormalities, atypical serum indicators, and myocardial damage induced by ISO. Moreover, FLWXF effectively mitigated electrical signal irregularities and abnormal serum markers associated with "Qi-Yin deficiency" and exhibited therapeutic efficacy in treating "Qi-Yin deficiency" arrhythmia. We identified significant enrichment of dilated cardiomyopathy and adrenergic signaling pathways in cardiomyocytes through integrated proteomics and metabolomics analyses. Additionally, our study revealed that FLWXF can normalize the aberrant elevation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels. RT-qPCR and Western blotting assays validated that FLWXF restored the expression of genes and proteins associated with dilated cardiomyopathy and the adrenergic signaling pathway in cardiomyocytes, including ADRB1, GNAS, ADCY1, PKA, CACNA2D1, RYR2, TNNC1, TNNI3, TNNT2, TPM1, ACTC1, and MYL7.
CONCLUSION:Our research indicates that FLWXF addresses "Qi-Yin deficiency" arrhythmia by modulating the adrenergic signaling pathway in dilated cardiomyopathy and cardiomyocytes. This study offers novel therapeutic options and empirical data to support the treatment of complex arrhythmia.