ObjectiveTo assess the effects of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (RSM) on patency and proliferation lesion of autologous vein to artery grafts in the earlymiddle stage.MethodsAutologous jugular vein was grafted into abdominal artery in the rats. The rats were divided into two groups: RSM group and control group. The rats in RSM group were fed with RSM [24 g/(kg·d )],which began 1 day before operation and continued until harvesting. Vein grafts were harvested at 1,3 days, 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after surgery for examining the patency, thickness of intimamedia and expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). ResultsNo significant differences existed in patency of vein grafts between the two groups (Pgt;0.05). The intimamedia thickness of the vein grafts in RSM group decreased 1/3 compared with control group at 2, 4 and 8 weeks (P<0.01). The PCNA positive cells in RSM group reduced significantly as compared to the control group (P<0.01). ConclusionRSM can inhibit proliferation lesion of vein grafts but has no influence on patency of vein grafts in the earlymiddle stage.