Objective: To explore the effect of Xinfukang pill in intervening pressure overload-induced myocardial hypertrophy and ventricular remodeling in rats

and the correlation between its pharmacological effect and the expression of miRNA-21 in cardiac tissue. Method: The abdominal aorta narrowing and contraction method was adopted in adult health male Wistar rats to establish the model of myocardial hypertrophy and ventricular remodeling. Four weeks after coarctation of abdominal aorta

the Wistar rats were randomly divided into model group

Enalapril group (1.04 mg·kg-1·d-1)

Xinfukang low and high-dose groups (52

208 mg·kg-1·d-1)

and and sham group

with 20 in each group. After 8

12 weeks

echocardiographic evaluation was conducted for cardiac indexes

LVPWs

LV Vols and LVEF. The expressions of Fas

FasL in cardiac tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry

and the expression of miRNA-21 was also detected by Real-time PCR. Result: After eight weeks

compared with normal group

all model groups showed significant increases in LVPWs

cardiomegaly index

Fas and FasL protein contents

and miRNA-21 mRNA expression

and notable decreases in LV Vols

LVEF (P<0.01). Compared with normal group

Xinfukang low and high-dose groups and Enalapril group showed remarkable reductions in LVPWs

cardiomegaly index

and Fas and FasL protein contents

and notable increases in LV Vols

LVEF

and miRNA-21 mRNA expression

particularly in Xinfukang high-dose group (P<0.05

P<0.01). Twelve weeks later

compared with normal group

all of model groups showed significant increases in LVPWs

cardiomegaly index

Fas and FasL protein contents

and miRNA-21 mRNA expression

and notable decreases in LV Vols

LVEF (P<0.01). Compared with Enalapril group

Xinfukang high and low-dose groups showed remarkable reductions in LVPWs

cardiomegaly index

and Fas and FasL protein contents

and notable increases in LV Vols

LVEF

and miRNA-21 mRNA expression (P<0.05

P<0.01). Conclusion: The effect of Xinfukang pill in improving the cardiac function of rats with pressure overload may be correlated with the promotion of the expression of miRNA-21

the regulation of Fas and FasL

and the inhibition of apoptosis.