Abstract: Objective: To observe the therapeutic effects and mechanism of Dunhuang Liaofengxushouruo decoction (LXD) (Traditional Chinese Medicine) on chronic heart failure(CHF) in rats.Methods: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group(n=8):model group, captopril group and LXD(Traditional Chinese Medicine) high, medium and low dose group. Except the normal group, the rats were intravenous injected with adriamycin 2.5 mg/kg in one day for 6 weeks, the captopril rats were intragastric administrated by captopril 25 mg/kg, LXD high, medium and low dose groups were intragastric administrated by LXD of 80, 40, 20 g/kg for 6 consecutive weeks. The rats breathing, coat color, activity, body weight(BW) and time of exhaustive swimming were measured; Heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), maximal rate of left ventricular pressure (+dp/dtmax or -dp/dtmax)of each rat were examined by Power Lab. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were measured; The rats were sacrificed and hearts removed for separation of left and right ventricle, the antioxidant activity and ventricular mass index were measured, left ventricular myocardium was administrated by 4% paraformaldehyde, HE staining, morphological changes were observed under microscope.Results: Body weight of each group decreased, and time of exhaustive swimming decreased after modeling (P<0.01). At 28 days after administration, BW in high and middle dose of LXD groups were increased and the swimming time of rats in LXD high dose group was increased (P<0.05).At 42 days, BW in all of LXD groups were increased and the exhaustive swimming time of high and middle dose of LXD were prolonged (P<0.05), MAP was decreased and LVSP, +dp/dtmax or -dp/dtmax were increased in LXD high and middle groups. The LVEDP was decreased in high dose of LXD group(P<0.05,P<0.01). The levels of creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in middle and low dose of LXD groups were decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01), and the serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum in LXD high and middle dose groups were lower. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were increased in all of LXD groups, and the LVMI and RVMI were decreased in high and middle dose of LXD groups(P<0.05,P<0.01). The pathological results showed that myocardial fiber arrangement and myocardial interstitial edema phenomenon were obviously improved in high dose of LXD group and CMD decreased.Conclusion: Therapeutic effect of LXD on CHF by doxorubicin-induced in rats is confirmed, the mechanisms are associated with improved hemodynamics and myocardial tissue.

Key words: Dunhuang Liaofengxushouruo decoction, chronic heart failure, adriamycin, myocardial injury, hemodynamics, rats