Objective To observe the protective function of Xijiao Dihuang Tang（ 犀角地黄汤） on liver of rats with sepsis and to explore and discuss its possible mechanism. Methods Forty-eight Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the sham-operated group

the model group and the Xijiao Dihuang Tang group

with 16 rats in each. Rats in the model group and the Xijiao Dihuang Tang group adopted cecal ligation and puncture to make sepsis model. The Xijiao Dihuang Tang group was given 0. 01 ml / g of Xijiao Dihuang Tang（ with concentration of 0. 78 g /ml） for gavage 1 h before operation

while the model group and the sham-operated group were given saline（ 0. 01 ml /g） for gavage. Vein blood was taken by laparotomy to make serum for examining levels of alanine aminotransferase（ ALT）

aspartate aminotransferase（ AST）

total bilirubinand（ TBi L）

tumor necrosis factorα（ TNF-α）

and interleukin6（ IL-6） 6 h and 12 h after modeling. Liver tissue was taken to make homogenate for examining levels of nitric oxide（ NO）

inducible nitric oxide synthase（ i NOS）

superoxide dismutase（ SOD）

and malondialdehyde（ MDA）.Morphological changes in pathological sections of liver tissue were observed with light microscope. Results Six hours and 12 hours after modeling

serum levels of ALT

AST

TNF-α and IL-6 of rats in the model group and the Xijiao Dihuang Tang group were all remarkably higher than that of the sham-operated group（ P < 0. 01）

and serum levels of ALT

AST

TNF-α and IL-6 of rats in the Xijiao Dihuang Tang group were all remarkably lower than that of the model group（ P < 0. 01）. There was no statistically significant difference when comparing TBil concentration of each group at different time point（ P > 0. 05）. Levels of NO and i NOS of rats in the model group and the Xijiao Dihuang Tang group were all remarkably higher than that in the sham-operated group 6 h and 12 h after modeling（ P < 0. 01）

while SOD level was remarkably lower than that in the sham-operated group（ P < 0. 01）; Levels of NO and i NOS in the Xijiao Dihuang Tang group at the 6 h and 12 h were all lower than that in the model group at the same time point（ P < 0. 05）. SOD level in liver tissue in the Xijiao Dihuang Tang group 12 h after modeling was remarkably higher than that in the model group

while MDA level was lower than that in the model group（ P < 0. 05 or P <0. 01）. Pathological changes of swelling

necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration of liver tissues of the Xijiao Dihuang Tang group shown in Light microscope were slighter than that of the model group. Conclusion Xijiao Dihuang Tang could improve liver function indexes of rats with sepsis

and decrease pathological damage of liver tissue. Its function may be acted by decreasing the expression of inflammatory cytokine

antioxidant stress and inhibiting lipid peroxidation to achieve.