OBJECTIVE To explore the protection of bifidobacterium on endotoxemia of cirrhotic rats.METHODS 90 male SD rats were divided into 4 groups randomly:normal group preventive group,late treatment group and model group.The preventive group and the late treatment group were given bifidobacterium at different period.At 11 weeks the pathology of livers were observed by HE stain and alanine aminotransferase(ALT),albumin(AL),endotoxin(ET)and nitric oxide(NO)were measured after the rats were sacrificed.RESULTS The pathological process of liver in preventive group and late treatment group were improved.Serum ALT levels and plasma levels of ET and NO were significantly reduced in rats of preventive group and late treatment group compared with those in rats of model group(P<0 05～0 01),and serum AL levels were increased compared with those in rats of model group(P<0 05).CONCLUSION Bifidobacterium could restrain the occurrence of intestinal endotoxemia(IETM) by balancing the intestinal colony.Bifidobacterium may stabilise and remit pathological process of cirrhosis.