Objective     To study the protective effect of cobra venom factor (CVF) on ischemia/refusion injury of cardiac trasnsplantation in inbred rats.      Methods     Inbred male Lewis rats were used as recipients and Brown-Norway rats as donors to establish heterotopic heart transplantation model. The allograft hearts were divided into 2 groups (n=16 in each group). After the rats were infused low-dose CVF 20 g·kg

-1

·d

-2

to the CVF-treated group，the cardiac allograft survival time was observed in each group. Three rats chosen from the two groups were killed on day 1

3

5 in each group

and the pathologic alterations

the complement activity in serum

the deposition of C3

in tissues were compared.      Results     In treatment group

the survival time of the donor heart was significantly prolonged and pathologic lesion was relieved. The deposition of C3 in tissues was significantly reduced as compared with control group.      Conclusion     Complement depletion by CVF acts well on ameliorating cardiac ischemia/refusion injury. The survival time of cardiac allograft treated with CVF can be significantly prolonged.