ABSTRACT
[Objective] To investigate the effect of Bao Xin Kang (BXK) on levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cGMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cAMP) in vascular smooth muscle of rats with myocatdial hypertrophic heart failure and to explore its mechanism. [Methods] Fifty rats were randomly allocated to five groups: normal control group (Group A) , model group (Group B) , digoxin group (Group C), large - dose BXK group (Group D) and small - dose BXK group (Group E). Rat models with myocardial hypertrophic heart failure were established by subcutaneous injection of isoprenaline for 13 days. Radioimmunoassay was used to measure the levels of cAMP, cGMP and the ratio of cAMP/cGMP in vascular smooth muscle. The body weight and the weight of heart, liver and lung were measured and his-tomorphologic features of heart, liver and lung also examined. [Results] The levels of cAMP and cGMP and the heart index (heart weight /body weight) and the liver index (liver weight/body weight) in Group B were increased as compared with those in Group A (P