Accumulating evidence from epidemiological studies has demonstrated that circulating levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, including TNF‐α and IL‐6, are positively correlated with the incidence of heart failure and are independent predictors of heart failure.33, 34 In the present study, we found that kirenol gavage for 8 weeks dose‐dependently decreased serum levels of TNF‐α, IL‐6 and IL‐1β in GK rats. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is heart failure.