Objective: To explore the mechanism and the therapeutic effects of Shenfu injection (SF) on the rat models with buerger's disease or thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO). Method: Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operated group

TAO model group

SF low dose (2.5 mg·kg-1)

medium dose (5 mg·kg-1) and high dose (10 mg·kg-1) groups (n=8). Rats were intravenously administered SF 2.5

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10 mg·kg-1 or saline once per day for 15 days. TAO model was prepared by injecting sodium laurate into the femoral artery of rats. Then we examined the alterations of pathological signs

pathologic grading of thrombus

blood platelet count

the contents of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-K-PGF1α) in plasma following SF or saline treatment. Result: More physiological signs of lesions and higher grades of pathological thrombosis

the increase in the TXB2 content

blood platelet count and the decrease of 6-K-PGF1αcontent in TAO model group were observed in our experiments;Compared with TAO model group

SF treatment significantly improved the physiological signs of lesions induced by sodium laurate injection and reduced the numbers of thrombus formation and the TXB2 content

as well as blood platelet count but increased the 6-K-PGF1αcontent. Conclusion: These results first suggest that SF can cause a significant therapeutic effect on experimental TAO model rats by its inhibiting platelet aggregation and enhancing anti-thrombus function of vessel endothelia.