Background Cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling involves fibroblasts differentiation, elevated matrix and metalloproteinase (MMPs) production and is critical in regulating cardiac hypertension and heart failure.Cytokines, such as angiotensin Ⅱ, plays a pivotal role in this pathogenesis.It has been reported that tanshinone ⅡA alleviated the maladaptive left ventricular hypertrophy developing in experimental animal after ligation of coronary arteries.However, the mechanism by which tanshinone ⅡA produces these beneficial effects, specifically how it modulates the production of ECM and MMPs has not been fully investigated.