The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of salidroside (Sal) on lung injury in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemic in vitro and in vivo. SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, LPS group (15 mg kg-1), LPS plus dexamethasone (2 mg kg-1), and LPS plus Sal groups with different Sal doses (20 mg kg-1, 40 mg kg-1). Wet-to-dry weight (W/D) ratio was performed. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of lung was performed. Lung level of myeloperoxidase (MPO) was measured. Serum levels of the activities of the anti-oxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), glutathione (GSH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were measured. Caveolin-1 and TLR/NF-κB pathway proteins were detected by Western blot. In vitro, we evaluated the protective effect of Sal on A549 cell line induced by LPS. The activities of the antioxidant SOD, CAT, GSH and GPX, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in cellular supernatant were measured. Caveolin-1 and TLR/NF-κB pathway was examined by Western blot. As a result, Sal significantly attenuated the above indices. In addition, Sal exerts pronounced protective effects in rats subjected to LPS possibly through inhibiting the caveolin-1 and TLR/NF-κB pathway in vivo. Our results indicated that Sal could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of lung injury disease.