Objective:To observe the effects of Shenfu Tang on chronic heart failure with heart-yang deficiency.Method: The rats were randomly divided into four groups

normal control group

model group

digoxin group

Shenfu Tang group（5 g·kg-1

ig）.The chronic heart failure model with heart-yang deficiency was established by intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin 4 mg·kg-1 once a week

lasted 6 weeks.Meanwhile the corresponding drugs were administrated for 7 weeks.The cardiac function was measured.The serum was collected to examine superoxide dismutase（SOD）activity

malondialdehyde（MDA）content

calcineurin（CaN） and calcium content.The expression of relative phosphorylation and the dephosphorylation protein of nuclear factor of activated T cell 3（NFAT3） was assayed.Result: Compared with control group

model group decreased heart function

body weight and SOD activity

and increased cardiac index

MDA content

cardiac CAN content

calcium content

the light density ratio of dephosphorylation NFAT3/β-actin（P<0.01）.Compared with model group

Shenfu Tang group increased heart function

body weight and SOD activity and decreased cardiac index

MDA content

cardiac CAN content

calcium content

the light density ratio of dephosphorylation NFAT3/β-actin（P<0.05）.Conclusion: Shenfu Tang can treat chronic heart failure with heart-yang deficiency by suppressing CaN-NFAT3 signal transduction pathway.