[Protective action of Salvia miltiorrhiza aqueous extract on chemically induced acute myocardial ischemia in rats].

Aqueous extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM-H) can protect the acute myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia of Sprague-Dawley rats induced by isoproterenol (ISO) or BaCl2 with the following results: (1) intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of SM-H for 3 to 5 days or intravenously (i.v.) just once significantly reduced the death rate of the animals, (2) i.v. SM-H pretreatment significantly increased the lethal dose of BaCl2 infusion, (3) i.p. SM-H significantly decreased premature ventricular contraction, ventricular fibrillation, bradycardia and mortality rate induced by bolus i.v. of BaCl2, and (4) i.p. SM-H also significantly reduced ECG J-point displacement of rats induced by ISO.