Effects of Xinshuaiheji on Rats with Heart Failure after Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective To observe the effects of Xinshuaiheji (XSHJ) on cardiac function, plasma angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ) and histomorphology in rats with heart failure after acute myocardial infarction. Methods A model of heart failure (HF) induced by myocardial infarction (MI) in rats was made, 10 days after MI, rats were treated for 4 weeks with bidist Water, Captopril, high dosage of XSHJ, low dosage of XSHJ. The effects of Xinshuaiheji on cardiac function (stroke volume, SV, cardiac output, CO, cardiac index, CI ) and AngⅡ were observed. We also observed and compared the changes of heart weight/body weight ratio (HW/BW), ratio of ventricular wall thinning in MI. Results After treatment with XSHJ, the cardiac function (SV, CO, CI) of HF rats improved (P 0.05, P 0.01), and the level of AngⅡ lowered significantly than that of model group (P 0.01). HW/BW and ratio of ventricular wall thinning in MI differed significant between the XSHJ group and the model group (P 0.05, P0.01). Conclusion XSHJ could improve the cardiac function of HF rats after MI, decrease the level of AngⅡ, and showed certain inhibitory effects on the ventricular remodeling.