The objective of this study was to investigate left cardiac damage and the 
cardioprotective effects of resveratrol in old rats with COPD. Rats 22 months 
old were divided into three groups: control (CTL), smoking and 
lipopolysaccharides (SM/LPS), and SM/LPS plus resveratrol (SM/LPS-Res). Cardiac 
function, pathology, oxidative stress, and apoptosis index were measured. 
Expression of myocardial SIRT1 was studied by real-time quantitative polymerase 
chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot detection. The heart weight-body weight 
ratio (LVW/BW) increased in the SM/LPS group compared with the CTL group. Both 
the LVW/BW and the area of fibrosis in the SM/LPS-Res group decreased compared 
with those in the SM/LPS group. 8-OHdG expression increased in cardiac tissue of 
rats in the SM/LPS group, which could be inhibited by resveratrol. Resveratrol 
significantly increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced 
the cardiac malonyldialdehyde (MDA) level in the SM/LPS-Res group. There was a 
significant decrease in the extent of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in the SM/LPS-Res 
group compared with the SM/LPS group. SIRT1 mRNA increased in the SM/LPS-Res 
group compared with the SM/LPS group. In conclusion, resveratrol attenuated 
cardiac oxidative damage and left ventricular remodeling and enhanced the 
decreased expression of SIRT1 in hearts of old rats with emphysema and thus 
might be a therapeutic modality for cardiac injury complicated in chronic 
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).