In order to search a effective therapy for viral myocarditis, antivial activity of Rheum officinale on Coxsackieivirus B 3 (CVB 3) was evaluated in BALB/C mice. After being determined optium scheme with orthogonal design, mice infected with CVB 3 were treated with Rheum officinale , ribavirin and 0.9% NaCl. The survival rates of the mice were 35%,5% and 5%;Median survival time were 23,11 and 10.5 days;Infectious viral titers were 10 -3.2 ,10 -4.7 and 10 -4.7 TCID 50 / 0.1 mL repectively, The lesions of cardiac tissues lightened in mice treated with Rheum offinicale . These results showed that Rheum officinale was effective in treatment of CVB 3 infected mice. The study provided scientific basis for further research and widen antiviral spectrum of Rheum officinale .
