OBJECTIVE To investigate the protective effects of Shenfu Injection (SI) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. METHODS Partial liver ischemia-reperfusion model under room temperature was established in 60 rats, which were divided into the control group and the treated group randomly and each group was again classified into 3 subgroups with 30 min, 60 min and 90 min hepatic ischemia time rspectively. Rats in the treated group were injected with SI 10 ml/kg every day, while the control group treated with normal saline. Survival rate after 1 week was observed, the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), malondialde hyde (MDA), surperoxide dismutase (SOD), tumor nicrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) and endothelin (ET) were detected, and hepatic biopsy was performed with light and electronic microscope. RESULTS The survival rate in the treated subgroup with 90 min' ischemia after 1 week was 90%, higher than that in the control subgroup significantly (P <0. 05), which was 60% ; and serum levels of AST, MDA, TNF-alpha and ET were lower and SOD was higher significantly (all P <0.05), as well as the degenerative and necrotic degree of hepatocyte and sinusoidal endothelial cells was lighter in the 3 treated subgroups, compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS Shenfu injection can eliminate oxygen free radical during hepatic ishemia-reperfusion so as to has a protective effect and attenuate hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury.