Objective: To screen the effective parts of Descurainiae Semen Lepidii Semen(DSLS) that play a role in anti-heart failure and explore its mechanism. Method: The male sprague dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into normal group

model group

positive drug group (digoxin group)

DSLS low dose

middle dose and high dose groups. The chronic heart failure (CHF) models were established by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin for 6 weeks. The drugs were given for 4 weeks by intragastric administration; metabolic cage method was used to collect 6 h urine

and cardiac function changes were measured by ultrasonic echocardiogram. Body weight and heart weight of the rats were measured in each group to calculate the cardiac index after the rats were sacrificed. The levels of brain natriuretic peptide(BNP)

cardiactroponin I (cTnI)

angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ)

and aldosterone (ALD) in blood

as well as the activities of superoxidedismutase (SOD) and methane picarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) contents were measured by ELISA. The activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in myocardial tissues were evaluated by using dithio-bis-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) method. Histopathological changes of myocardium were visualized under light microscope. Result: As compared with normal group

the levels of BNP

cTnI

AngⅡ and ALD were significantly higher in model group; left ventricular ejection function (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening rate (LVFS) in model rats were significantly reduced; MDA content was significantly increased; SOD and GSH-Px activities were significantly reduced; urine volume was significantly reduced (P<0.05

P<0.01); with more obvious myocardial pathological injury. As compared with the model group

the effective fractions of DSLS significantly reduced the levels of BNP

cTnI

AngⅡ

and ALD (P<0.05

P<0.01)

increased LVEF and LVFS (P<0.05

P<0.01)

and reduced myocardial pathological damage in heart failure rats. Moreover

the high-dose and middle-dose DSLS groups significantly reduced content of MDA

and increased activity of SOD (P<0.01)

with a good diuretic effect (P<0.05). Meanwhile

middle-dose group could significantly improve the activity of GSH-Px (P<0.05). Conclusion: The water extracts from effective fractions of DSLS could significantly improve the heart failure symptoms in rats. Its mechanism may be associated with improving the unbalance of oxidative stress in vivo and inhibiting the excessive activation of neuroendocrine in CHF rats.