Objective To investigate the effect of Salvia Miltiorrhiza (SM) and Shengmai injection (SI) in treating systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and their mechanism. Methods The animal model of SIRS was established by injecting lipopolysaccharide(LPS, 1 mg/kg)intraperitoneally. Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group, SM group, SI group and combined treatment group (SM+SI group), which were treated with normal saline(5 ml/kg) plus LPS(1 mg/kg), SM(5 ml/kg)plus LPS(1 mg/kg), (SI(5 ml/kg))plus LPS(1 mg/kg), SM(2.5 ml/kg) plus SI(2.5 ml/kg) and LPS(1 mg/kg) respectively. Six rats of each group were sacrificed for sample collection of blood, liver, lung and kidney 8 hours after LPS injection. Blood routine, serum TNF-? and IL-6 were measured. Specimen of organs were fixed in formalin and sent for routine pathological examination. The survival of other 4 rats of each group were observed untill 48 hours after LPS injection. SPSS 10.0 was used in statistical analysis. Results Two rats in control group died 13 hours and 22 hours after LPS injection respectively, the remaining 2 rats in this group and the rats in other 3 groups survived 48 hours after LPS injection. The white blood cell count of control group was significantly higher than that of other groups. The serum TNF-? and IL-6 of control group were significantly more than those of other groups. Pathological damages were found in all groups, and the most severe ones were in control group. SM and SI could decrease the level of serum TNF-? and IL-6 in the process of LPS-stimulated SIRS, down-regulate the severe inflammatory response, attenuate organ damages of the liver, lung and kidney, and increase forty-eihgt-hour survival rate obviously. Conclusion The experiment provides a theoretical base for clinical use of SM and SI in treatment of SIRS.