AIM: To evaluate the effect of ligustrazine, a traditional Chinese medicine, on renal injury in a rat model of acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP).METHODS: A total of 192 rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (C group), ANP without treatment (P group), and ANP treated with ligustrazine (T group). Each group was further divided into 0.5,2, 6, 12 h subgroups. All rats were anesthetized with an intraperitoneal injection of sodium pentobarbital.Sodium taurocholate was infused through the pancreatic membrane to induce ANP. T group was infused sodium taurocholate as above, and 0.6% ligustrazine was then administered via the femoral vein. Serum urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) concentrations were measured for the evaluation of renal function. The effects of ligustrazine on the severity of renal injury were assessed by renal function, TXA2/PGI2 and histopathological changes. Renal blood flow was determined by the radioactive microsphere technique (RMT).RESULTS: Compared with control group, the renal blood flow in P group was decreased significantly. Serious renal and pancreatic damages were found in P group, the BUN and Cr levels were elevated significantly, and the ratio of TXA2 to PGI2 was increased at 2, 6 and 12 h. Compared with P group, the blood flow of kidney was elevated significantly at 6 and 12 h after induction of ANP, the renal and pancreatic damages were attenuated, and the BUN and Cr levels were decreased significantly, and the ratio of TXA2 to PGI2 was decreased at 6 and 12 h in T group.CONCLUSION: Microcirculatory disorder (MCD) is an important factor for renal injury in ANP. Ligustrazine can ameliorate the condition of MCD and the damage of pancreas and kidney.