--- description: Maria Sharapova on Monday announced that she has failed a drug test at the Australian Open and tested positive for Meldonium title: Here’s What to Know About Meldonium image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt08cbe2d59b39a74f/6988808c428a9e043bcd1af5/maria-sharapova-drug.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Health](/section/health/) ## Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Drugs](/tag/drugs/) ## Drugs Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Here’s What to Know About Meldonium  by [Melissa Chan](/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 7, 2016 8:47 PM CUT  Tennis player Maria Sharapova addresses the media at The LA Hotel Downtown on March 7, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Sharapova, a five-time major champion, is currently the 7th ranked player on the WTA tour. Sharapova, withdrew from this week’s BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells due to injury. Tennis player Maria Sharapova addresses the media at The LA Hotel Downtown on March 7, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Sharapova, a five-time major champion, is currently the 7th ranked player on the WTA tour. Sharapova, withdrew from this week’s BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells due to injury.Kevork Djansezian—2016 Getty Images  by [Melissa Chan](/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 7, 2016 8:47 PM CUT Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova on Monday [announced that she has failed a drug test](http://time.com/4250083/maria-sharapova-meldonium-drug/ "undefined") at the Australian Open because she tested positive for meldonium, a little-known drug that was [banned on Jan. 1](http://www.itftennis.com/media/220474/220474.pdf "undefined"). The drug is used in Latvia and other eastern European countries to treat serious heart problems and aid the circulation of oxygen, [the BBC reported last month](http://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/35508045 "undefined"), when Russian professional bicyclist Eduard Vorganov tested positive for the same drug. Meldonium, also known as mildronate, was developed at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis to help prevent ischemia, which is a vascular disease that can lead to tissue death, [according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16007237 "undefined"). It is also used to treat brain circulation disorders. The drug improves the users’ mood and allows them to become more active, the National Library of Medicine said. “They become more active, their motor dysfunction decreases, and asthenia, dizziness and nausea become less pronounced,” it said. Sharapova said she has been taking meldonium for 10 years for health issues. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4250055/maria-sharapova-meldonium-drug-2/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4250055/maria-sharapova-meldonium-drug-2/"},"headline":"Here’s What to Know About Meldonium","datePublished":"2016-03-07T20:47:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T09:19:47.603Z","description":"The drug is used to treat serious heart problems","url":"https://time.com/4250055/maria-sharapova-meldonium-drug-2/","keywords":["Drugs"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt08cbe2d59b39a74f/6988808c428a9e043bcd1af5/maria-sharapova-drug.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Chan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-chan/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt08cbe2d59b39a74f/6988808c428a9e043bcd1af5/maria-sharapova-drug.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"maria-sharapova-drug","caption":"Tennis player Maria Sharapova addresses the media at The LA Hotel Downtown on March 7, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 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