Objective:To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Silybin meglumine on rat model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis（NASH）.Method:After one week of a standard diet 39 male SD rats were randomly divided into the normal control group（n = 9） and the experimental group（n = 30）.The normal control group rats were fed with a standard diet

while those of the experimental group with a high-fat diet.After 10 weeks 9 rats were sacrificed to verify whether the model was established successfully.Then the experimental group was randomly subdivided into five groups: Group Z（n = 5） with a high-fat diet and gastric with saline

Group Y（n = 5） with a standard diet and gastric with saline

Group A（n = 5）

Group B（n = 5） and Group C（n = 5） with a standard diet and gastrically infused with the S.meglumine solution of high-dosage（100 mg.kg-1.d-1）

middle-dosage（50 mg.kg-1.d-1） and low-dosage（25 mg.kg-1.d-1）

respectively.Four weeks later

all rats were sacrificed.Blood samples were collected to measure serum alanine aminotransferase（ALT）

aspartic acid aminotransferase（AST）

triglyceride（TG）

total cholesterol（TC）

low density lipoprotein-cholesterol（LDLC）

glucose（GLU）

superoxide dismutase（SOD） and malondialdehyde（MDA）.Tissue samples were duly taken for histopathological examination and measurement of tissue TC

TG

LDLC and MDA levels.Result:At the end of the week 11 there was a significant difference in the hepatic index

the levels of serum AST

TC

TG

LDLC

GLU

SOD

MDA

the levels of liver tissue TC

TG

MDA

and the histological changes of liver injury between the experimental group and the normal control group（P < 0.05）.At the end of the week 16

the visceral adiposity ratio

serum AST and TC levels were higher in Group Y than that in Group A（P < 0.05）.Significant decreases were found in the visceral adiposity ratio

serum MDA levels

and liver tissue TC and LDLC levels in Group B compared to Group Y（P < 0.05）.A significant reduction was observed in Group A

B and C in the hepatic steatosis

the grade of inflammation and the stage of fibrosis compared to Group Y and Group Z（P < 0.05）.Conclusion:S.meglumine seem to be effective in attenuating hepatic damage in the NASH model induced by a high-fat diet

which may become a potential drug for NASH treatment in the future.