3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde is one of the main active ingredients of anti-angina in the leaves of Chinese ilex, which can increase coronary flow, reduce myocardial excitability and conduction in the cardiovascular system, and has a significant protective effect on myocardial injury caused by acute myocardial ischemia and hypoxia. In the early years, the active ingredient 3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde was extracted from the herb Chinese ilex for the treatment of scalding and made into a drug for the treatment of coronary heart disease - cardiac by artificial synthesis, which has been used in clinical practice. Later, it was confirmed that 3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde in Salvia miltiorrhiza is one of the effective ingredients to activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis.

  Recent studies have shown that the water-soluble components of Salvia miltiorrhiza, 3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde and Danshensu, have stronger cardiovascular and cerebrovascular dilating effects than the diterpenoid quinone tanshinone, and are the main components of anti-myocardial ischemia. 3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde can improve microcirculation, inhibit platelet agglutination and thrombosis caused by adenosine diphosphate, and reduce blood viscosity.