Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effects of dexamethasone

anisodamine and rhubarb（DAR） on endotoxin

tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）

interleukin-6（IL-6）

and pancreatic damage in rat models of acute pancreatitis（AP）.Methods:The AP rat models were prepared and randomly assigned to AP group（n=10） and DAR group（n=10）

while other healthy rats were assigned to the sham-operated group（n=10）.The rats were euthanized at 6 h after operation

and then the serum levels of endotoxin

TNF-α

IL-6 and histology of pancreas were determined as the indexes of therapeutic effects.Results:At 6 h after operation

serum levels of endotoxin

TNF-α and IL-6

and pancreatic damage were significantly increased in AP group compared with those in sham-operated group（P<0.01）.Compared with the AP group

DAR therapy remarkably attenuated the endotoxin

TNF-α

IL-6 levels and reduced pancreatic damage（P<0.05）.Conclusion:The inhibition of pancreatic damage by DAR in rats with AP might contribute

in part at least

to the amelioration of pancreatic inflammation.The present study provides beneficial evidence that DAR may be useful in the treatment of AP model of rats.