AIM: To investigate the effect of Tetrandrine (Tet) on LPS-induced NF-κB activation and cell injury in pancreatic acinar cells and to explore the mechanism of Tetrandrine preventing LPS-induced acinar cell injury. METHODS: Male rat pancreatic acinar cells were isolated by collagenase digestion, then exposed to LPS (10 mg/L), Tet (50μmol/L, 100μmol/L) or normal media. At different time point (30 min, 1 h, 4 h, 10 h) after treatment with the agents, cell viability was determined by MTT, the product and nuclear translocation of subunit p65 of NF-κB was visualized by immunofluorescence staining and nuclear protein was extracted to perform EMSA which was used to assay the NF-κB binding activity. RESULTS: LPS induced cell damage directly in a time dependent manner and Tet attenuated LPS-induced cell damage (50μmol/L, P < 0.05; 100μmol/L, P < 0.01). NF-κB p65 immunofluorescence staining in cytoplasm increased and began showing its nuclear translocation within 30 min and the peak was shown at 1 h of LPS 10 mg/L treatment. NF-κB DNA binding activity showed the same alteration pattern as p65 immunofluorescence staining. In Tet group, the immunofluorescence staining in cytoplasm and nuclear translocation of NF-κB were inhibited significantly. CONCLUSION: NF-κB activation is an important early event that may contribute to inflammatory responses and cell injury in pancreatic acinar cells. Tet possesses the protective effect on LPS-induced acinar cell injury by inhibiting NF-κB activation. AIM: To investigate the effect of Tetrandrine (Tet) on LPS-induced NF-κB activation and cell injury in pancreatic acinar cells and to explore the mechanism of Tetrandrine preventing LPS-induced acinar cell injury. METHODS: Male rat pancreatic acinar cells were isolated by collagenase digestion, then exposed to LPS (10 mg / L), Tet (50 μmol / L, 100 μmol / L) or normal media. agents, cell viability was determined by MTT, the product and nuclear translocation of subunit p65 of NF-κB was visualized by immunofluorescence staining staining and nuclear protein was extracted to perform EMSA which was used to assay the NF-κB binding activity. RESULTS: LPS induced cell damage directly in a time dependent manner and Tet attenuated LPS-induced cell damage (50 μmol / L, P <0.05; 100 μmol / L, P <0.01). NF-κB p65 immunofluorescence staining in cytoplasm increased and began showed its nuclear translocation within 30 min and the peak was s h Tet at 1 h of LPS 10 mg / L treatment. NF-κB DNA binding activity showed the same alteration pattern as p65 immunofluorescence staining. In Tet group, the immunofluorescence staining in cytoplasm and nuclear translocation of NF-κB were inhibited significantly. CONCLUSION: NF-κB activation is an important early event that may contribute to inflammatory responses and cell injury in pancreatic acinar cells. Tet possesses the protective effect on LPS-induced acinar cell injury by inhibiting NF-κB activation.