Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of Chinese herbal medicine on intestinal microflora in mice with D-galactosamine/LPS-induced acute liver failure（ALF）.Methods Forty-eight mice were randomly divided into control,model,high-dose herbal medicine,middle-dose herbal medicine and low-dose herbal medicine,and Lizhuchangle group,with 8 mice in each group. The mice were given intragastric administration once daily of normal saline,herbal or lizhuchangle for 8 days,and then,the model was established by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactoside and lipopolysaccharide. The change of intestinal microflora in each group was detected by viable plate count.Results The liver pathology examination in the model group showed obviously hemorrhage and necrosis,suggesting the model was successfully established;serum ALT level in the model group was（1983.3±629.0） U/L, significantly higher than （36.9±7.5） U/L in the control （P<0.001）,the liver index was （6.7±0.6） %,significantly higher than （5.2±0.3） % in the control （P<0.001）,the number of escherichia coli was （8.7±0.5） CFU/feces and of enterococcus was （9.5±0.3） CFU/feces,were significantly higher than （7.6±0.9） CFU/feces （P<0.01） and （8.8±0.2） CFU/feces （P<0.001） in the control,while the number of lactobacillus was （9.3±0.3） CFU/feces and lifidobacteria was （10.1±0.4） CFU/feces,significantly lower than （10.4±0.5） CFU/feces （P<0.001） and （11.2±0.5） CFU/feces（P<0.001） in the control;the liver injuries and abnormal changes of intestinal microflora in herbal medicine-intervened groups improved obviously as compared with in the model group （P<0.001）. Conclusion The administration of Chinese herbal medicine might improve the liver injuries and restore the abnormal changes of intestinal flora in mice with acute liver failure.

Key words: Acute liver failure, Chinese herbal medicine, Intestinal flora, Mice