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Objective: Myocardial infarction (MI) is a cause of high morbidity and mortality in the world. Sodium tanshinone IIA sulphonate (STS) has been well used in Oriental medicine for treating cardiovascular diseases, however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Alterations of circulating lipid profiles, increased fatty acid β-oxidation and oxidative stress play most important roles in the pathogenesis of MI. The present study aims to elucidate whether STS possesses cardioprotective effect against MI driven by isoproterenol (ISO), and to investigate its potential mechanisms of action., Methods: MI was induced by subcutaneous injection of ISO (85 mg/kg at interval of 24 h for 2 consecutive days) to rats. The rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: (1) control; (2) ISO; (3) STS (16 mg/kg) +control; (4-6) STS (16, 8, 4 mg/kg) +ISO., Results: Our study showed that STS could ameliorate cardiac dysfunction and variation of myocardial zymogram, up-regulate antioxidant systems, and maintain the levels of circulating lipids driven by supramaximal doses ISO as well. Moreover, modulation of redox-sensitive extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2)/Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC)/carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) 1 pathways were involved in STS induced cardioprotection., Conclusions: STS exerts strong favorable cardioprotective action. Additionally, the properties of STS, such as anti-dyslipidemia, anti-oxidant and inhibition of fatty acid β-oxidation, may be the mechanisms underlying the observed results., (© 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)