In conclusion, the present study shows that the Ligusticum wallichii extract strongly reduced serum CK, LDH and AST activities, NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 levels, and increased myocardial Na+-K+-ATPase, Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase, NOS, SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and TAOC activities in an in vivo rat model of cardiac ischemia–reperfusion. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is myocardial ischemia.