However, compared with the untreated AB mice, mice with the protection of oridonin treatment exhibited mitigatory cardiac hypertrophy, as shown by the gross appearance of the heart, the myocyte cross sectional area, the mass of the heart (HW/BW and HW/TL ratios), and the expression of hypertrophic markers (ANP, BNP, βMHC) (Figs. 2a–e, P < 0.05). This evidence concerns the gene NPPA and cardiac hypertrophy.