Objective To investigate the synthesis of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) induced by norepinephrine preconditioning on donor heart and its effects on myocardial cell apoptosis and apoptosis related proteins. Methods 18 Wistar rats were random divided into 2 groups, with 9 in each group. The rats in the control group were intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 ml saline. After 24 hours, hearts were isolated and stored with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution at 4 ℃ for 3 hours to establish Langendorff isolated heart models, and then isolated hearts were perfused by Langendorff model with Krebs-Hense leit (K-H) solution for 2 hours. The rats in the experimental group received intraperitoneally 3. 1 μmol/kg (0. 53 mg/kg) noradrenaline bitartrate that was dissolved in saline and hearts were isolated and stored after 24 hours. Followed process was the same as that in the control group. Myocardial HSP70, Bcl-2, Bax content, apoptosis index were measured, cell structures were observed under light and electron microscope.Results HSP70 in the experimental group were higher [(17.78 ± 1.82)%] than those in control group [(5.22 ± 1.05)%], and biochemical indicators in texperimental group[(41.88 ± 5.09)%, (22.61 ±3. 49 ) %] were better than those in control group [(31.36 ± 3. 27 ) %, ( 40. 52 ± 4. 1 7) %]. There were alleviated ultrastructure injures in experimental group compared with those in control group. Conclusions This study demonstrated that norepinephrine preconditioning could induce high expression of HSP70 and it could play a very important role during ischemia-reperfusion. It could protect the structure and function of myocytes in isolated rat hearts and inhibited myocardial apoptosis.