Objective: To investigate the protective mechanism of total salvianolic acid (TSA) against myocardial I/R injury. Method: The models of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats were established by Langendorff mathod. 30 male wistar rats were divided into control group

ischemia-reperfusion group and TSA group. The left ventricular pressure(LVP)

coronary flow(CF) were recorded. The creatine kinase (CK) activities in the flow were measured. The morphological changes of cardiocytes in rats were observed by light microscopy. The protein expression of protein kinase C(PKC) ε was analyzed by Western blotting. Result: TSA significantly improved postischemic contractile function

±dp/dtmax

CF and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure(LVEDP) (P<0.05

P<0.01). TSA distinctly reduced the activities of the CK in the flow (P<0.05

P<0.01).TSA could obviously ameliorate cell injury. And TSA could reinforce PKCε translocate from cytosol to mitochondria. Conclusion: TSA protects the heart from I/R injury partially by activating and translocating PKC ε.