Abstract: AIM: To observe the effect of salvia miltiorrhiza on cardiomyocyte apoptosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).METHODS: 18 male SHR were divided into 3 groups at random (n =6, each):the base group, in which rats were killed in the 8th week ;the salvia group, in which salvia miltiorrhiza (1g·kg^-1·d^-1) was injected intraperitoneally from the 8^th week to the 18th week ;the control group, in which the same volume of vehicle was injected in the same manner.Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were measured.The TUNEL method was employed to evaluate cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and the immunohistochemistry method was applied to detect the protein expression of Bcl-2.RESULTS: Compared with the base group, the SBP, LVMI and apoptosis index increased markedly in control grouP(P<0.05).Simultaneously,the positive expression index of Bcl-2 protein decreased significantly in control grouP(P<0.05).Treated with salvia miltiorrhiza, the LVMI and cardiomyocyte apoptosis decreased.Simultaneously, the positive expression index of Bcl-2 protein increased, whereas SBPchanged slightly but significantly (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The study shows that chronic use of salvia miltiorrhiza can upgrade the protein expression of Bcl-2 gene, decrease the cardiomyocyte apoptosis and inhibit the development of left ventricular hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Key words: salvia miltiorrhiza, spontaneously hypertensive rat, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, Bcl-2 gene protein