Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of treatment or prevention of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by diagnosing that a person is in need of treatment or prevention of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and administering a therapeutically effective amount of a ligand which modulates NF-kB transcription factor by interaction with estrogen receptor ER-?, estrogen receptor ER-?, or both ER-? and ER-? estrogen receptors with a substantial absence of creatine kinase stimulation. In certain preferred embodiments, the administration is substantially without uterotropic activity.