Abstract: ObjectiveTo study the protective effect of Sacha Inhi oil on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) rats.MethodsA rat model of NASH was established by high fat diet for 4 weeks.Blank control group of normal diet, NASH model group, steatohepatitis control group, perilla oil control group, and Sacha Inhi oil groups with high (1.6 mL/kg), middle (0.8 mL/kg), and low (0.4 mL/kg) dosages were set up.After 45 d, levels of total cholesterol (TC)，triglyceride (TG)，high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were tested.Changes of pathologic histology in the liver were observed by HE staining.Then the statistical comparison was conducted.ResultsLevels of TC, TG, and LDL-C were (1.295±0.143), (0.738±0.095), and (0.194±0.019) mmol/L in the model group, (0.610±0.031), (0.402±0.020), and (0.136±0.005) mmol/L in the middle-dose Sacha Inhi oil group, and (0.662±0.036), (0.436±0.029), and (0.147±0.011) mmol/L in the high-dose Sacha Inhi oil group, respectively.Compared with model group, levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C in the middle- and high-dose Sacha Inhi oil groups were lowered (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Compared with the model group, the middle- and high-dose Sacha Inhi oil groups can lower the levels of AST, ALT, IL-6, and TNF-α (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01) and improve the changes of pathologic histology in liver of NASH rats (P＜0.01).ConclusionSacha Inhi oil has a certain protective effect on NASH rats, which probably works mainly through lowering blood lipid level and inhibit inflammatory cytokines.