Objective: To investigate the protective effect of Fructus Gardeniae on pancreatic subcellular organs in rats of acute pancreatitis.Methods: Acute pancreatitis (AP) was induced with sodium deoxy-cholate in SD rats. Succinic dehydrogenase (SDH)

acid phosphatase (ACP) and cytochrome P450 were taken as marked enzymes in estimation of mitochondria

lysosome and microsome and for observation of the functional and structural changes of the pancreatic subcellular organs and the protective effects of Fructus Gardeniae (FG) in rats of acute pancreatitis. The histological change was observed simultaneously.Results: Pancreatic cellular SDH reduced significantly and the releasing rate of ACP raised obviously in AP

and in FG treated group

SDH was nearly normal

the releasing rate of ACP decreased and the content of P450 increased at the same time. Histologic observation showed that there was significant inflammatory change in pancreas and abnormal manifestation in structure of subcellular organs in AP. FG could alleviate the lesion.Conclusions: FG has a remarkable protective effect on the function and structure of the pancreatic subcellular organs in AP.