Objective:To explore protective effect of extract from rhubarb and alismae rhizome on acute liver injury induced by diethylene glycol(DEG)and its mechanism.Methods:Animal model of acute liver injury induced by DEG(18.7 ml/kg)was applied to investigate the protective effect of extract from rhubarb and alismae rhizome.Mice were administered intragastrically with n-butanol extract from rhubarb 0.8 and 0.4 g/kg

aqueous extract from rhubarb 0.8 and 0.4 g/kg and ethanol extract from alismae rhizome 3.6 and 1.8 g/kg for 4 days

respectively.DEG(18.7 ml/kg)was administered intragastrically to the mice 1 hour before extract from rhubarb and alismae rhizome administration on day 5.The manifestation of the poisoned mice were observed

the serum was prepared and the mice were then sacrificed after ig DEG for 24 h.The contents of ALT

AST and TBIL in serum of mice were assayed

and the liver tissues were collected and the ho-mogenate was prepared

the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX)and the contents of malon-aldehyde(MDA)in liver homogenate were also detected.Results:After the administration of DEG

the poisoned manifestations of the mice were obviously visible

the ratio of liver to body weight increased

the contents of ALT

AST and TBIL in serum significantly in-creased

the activities of SOD and GSH-PX in liver homogenate decreased

and the contents of MDA in liver homogenate increased.Com-pared with that in DEG model group

in extract from rhubarb and alismae rhizome treatment groups

the poisoned manifestations were ob-viously relieved

the ratio of liver to body weight decreased

the contents of ALT and AST and TBIL significantly lowered

the activities of SOD and GSH-PX were also markedly improved and the contents of MDA significantly decreased.Conclusion:DEG can obviously dam-age liver

but extracts from rhubarb and alismae rhizome have an obvious protective effect against DEG-induced acute liver injury

and the protection role is related to the improvement of antioxidation enzyme activities and suppression of lipid peroxidation.