Objective To study the influence of centipede acidic protein（CAP） on cardiac function in rats with acute heart failure induced by Adriamycin（ADM）.Methods All rats were randomly divided into 4 groups

including the blank control group

model control group

low-dose CAP group and high-dose CAP group.The control groups were injected normal saline solution intraperitoneally and the CAP groups were injected CAP intraperitoneally for three days.On the 4th day

ADM was given to rats by intraperitoneal injection to induce acute heart failure.On the 5th day

the cardiac functions

blood biochemistry indexes

heart weight indexes were detected and myocardial pathological changes were observed.Results There were no significant differences among all groups in the heart weight indexes.The hemodynamics result showed that the systole in the rats of the CAP groups was improved.The serum biochemical tests showed that

compared with the model control group

in the CAP groups the level of SOD was obviously increased

and MDA

NOS and NO levels were obviously decreased.The myocardial pathological changes were relieved obviously in the CAP groups.Conclusion CAP can obviously improve the cardiac functions and protect the myocardium through alleviating the lesion induced by lipid peroxidation in rats with acute heart failure.