Gliflozins (sodium-glucose transporter-2 inhibitors) are new antidiabetic drugs whose beneficial effects are seen not only in diabetics but also in non-diabetics. We were interested in whether in a model of combined liver and heart failure (induced in laboratory rats by a high-fat diet) empagliflozin has beneficial effects on cardiac, renal and hepatic functions. We found that empagliflozin reduced body weight gain and improved the body’s sensitivity to glucose. In addition, several metabolic parameters (plasma insulin, uric acid and HDL cholesterol) were improved. In the liver, empagliflozin reduced lipid accumulation, lipoperoxidation and some markers of inflammation. In addition, administration of empagliflozin improved cardiac function (systolic, diastolic and pumping) independently of blood pressure. The results demonstrated that the impairment of liver and heart function induced by a high-fat diet can be suppressed by empagliflozin administration and suggest that hepatoprotection plays a critical role in the beneficial effects of empagliflozin.
The results obtained on the action of gliflozin in combined organ diseases may significantly help in the treatment of patients with various comorbidities.
Hojná S, Malínská H, Hüttl M, Vaňourková Z, Marková I, Miklánková D, Hrdlička J, Papoušek F, Neckář J, Kujal P, Behuliak M, Rauchová H, Kadlecová M, Sedmera D, Neffeová K, Zábrodská E, Olejníčková V, Zicha J, Vaněčková I: Hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects of empagliflozin in spontaneously hypertensive rats fed a high-fat diet, Biomed Pharmacother, 2024, 174:116520. DOI
