Abstract: AIM: To investigate the effects of Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn Extract on left ventricular remodeling and apoptosis-related protein(Bcl-2, Bax) expression in aorta coarctation rats.METHODS: Partly aorta coarctation was practiced in Wistar rats.The weight of the left ventricular and the cardiac index were measured;the diameter of the left ventricular cavity was measured by means of HE dyeing;the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax protein in myocardium was observed by immunohistochemical method.RESULTS: After partly aorta coarctation, the weight of the left ventricular and the cardiac index of rats were increased significantly.Compared with the model group, 400 % PdE decreased the left ventricular and the cardiac index effectively and 200 % PdE decreased the increasing cardiac index in rats which after aorta coarctation.In the model group, the myocardial cells were much bigger and there were much more parallel connections and series connections of sarcomere;compared with those in the model group, the myocardial cells were nearly normal or just had a slight degree of hypertrophy and hyperplasia in both 400 % PdE and 200 % PdE groups.Compared with the model group, the 400 % PdE and 200 %PdE groups had bigger diameter of left ventricular cavity, the difference was significant (P <0.05); compared with the model group, 400 % and 200 % PdE significantly increased the proportion of Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression in the myocardial cells of rats after the aorta coarctation.CONCLUSION: Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn Extract can affect the remodeling process of ventricular muscles and the apoptosis-related proteins in different ways and had positive importance in treatment of ventricular remodeling.Therefore, it deserves further researching and developing.

Key words: Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn Extract, aorta coarctation, ventricular remodeling, myocardium hypertrophy, apoptosis-related protein