Cholinergic stimulation after acute myocardial infarction improves hemodynamic parameters and modulates the renal injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats

This study examined the impact of pharmacological cholinergic activation on cardiac function and renal inflammatory responses in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) subjected to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Adult male SHRs were allocated into three groups: sham-operated, AMI (infarcted), and AMI + PY (infarcted and treated with the cholinesterase inhibitor pyridostigmine bromide [PY] at 40 mg/kg, administered once daily for seven days). Animals were euthanized seven days after surgery by anesthetic overdose, and clinical parameters were evaluated the day prior to euthanasia. Following euthanasia, blood samples were collected and kidney tissues were processed for histological analysis to assess inflammation and injury. At seven days post-surgery, the AMI + PY group showed improvements in blood pressure regulation and autonomic dysfunction. In addition, treatment reduced plasma creatinine, proteinuria, cell proliferation, and collagen accumulation compared with both AMI and sham groups. These findings indicate that cholinergic stimulation with PY provides cardiac and renal protection by mitigating post-AMI injury and inflammation.