Background: Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) is an attractive source for myocardial repair. In vivo imaging using adenovirus encoding firefly luciferase gene (Ad-CMV-Fluc) is a method to trace the transplanted live cells. Recently, statins have been interested as a pleiotrophic effect on cardiovascular disease. We investigated the BM-MSCs engrafting rate by systemic delivery into heart according to the Zocor administration in rat infarct model. Methods: Rats were received Zocor (1.67 mg/kg/day) by gastric gavage 1 day prior to ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, then continued for 7 days. A similar amount of drinking water was given to the other two groups every day. I/R injury model was induced by ligation of LAD for 4 hours followed by relase and conducted BM-MSCs transplantation through tail vein injection containing 1x10⁶ BM-MSCs being made to express Fluc reporter gene. At 7 days after BM-MSCs transplantation, optical bioluminescence imaging was then conducted to determine the degree of cell distribution rate in heart using a cooled charged-coupled device (CCD) camera (Xenogen). The rats were assigned to: (1) I/R+PBS, (2) I/R+BM-MSCs, (3) Zocor+I/R+BM-MSCs. Results: Cardiac bioluminescence signals were determined at 7 days after transplantation; I/R+PBS (0 p/s/cm2/sr), I/R+BM-MSCs (3.75e+0.3 p/s/cm2/sr), Zocor+I/R+BM-MSCs (4.653e+0.3 p/s/cm2/sr). The rats that received Zocor displayed enhanced cardiac luminescence signals that that of only cell treated group. Conclusion: Statin treatment may be an efficient tool for BM-MSCs transplantation by systemic delivery in ischemic heart disease. The more detailed informations including histologic analysis will be presented.