OBJECTIVE： To study the effect of tanshinone on inflammatory response in air-pouch model mice with artificial joint aseptic loosening. METHODS： Mice were randomly divided into blank control group （normal saline）， titanium particle group （normal saline）， tanshinone low-dose， medium-dose， high-dose groups （50， 100， 200 mg/kg）， 10 in each group. Air-pouch models were induced. Except that mice were injected 0.5 mL normal saline into air-pouch in blank control group， other groups were injected 0.5 mL Titanium particle suspension （10 mg/mL） into air-pouch， continuously administrated medicines by 0.1 mL/10 g after 24 h， ig， for 14 d. After 24 h of last administration， the air-pouch was collected， air-pouch inflammation was observed by eyes and by microscopy after hematoxylin-eosin staining， and inflammatory cell density was calculated. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction method was conducted to detect the tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α）， interleukin 1β （IL-1β） mRNA expression； enzyme-linked immunosorbent method was used to detect the TNF-α， IL-1β protein expression. RESULTS： Compared with blank control group， air-pouch swelling was obvious in titanium particle group， much exudation and neovascular were observed， inflammatory response was severe， inflammatory cell density was increased significantly （P＜0.05）； TNF-α， IL-1β mRNA and protein expression were obviously enhanced （P＜0.05）. Compared with titanium particle group， air-pouch swelling was relieved in tanshinone doses groups， exudation and neovascular were decreased， inflammatory response was relieved， inflammatory cell density was decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； TNF-α， IL-1β mRNA and protein expression were obviously decreased （P＜0.05）， with a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS： Tanshinone can effectively inhibit the aseptic inflammatory response in air-pouch model mice with artificial joint aseptic loosening.