Objective To evaluate the effect of propofol pretreatment on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)activity during hepatic ischemia-reperfusion(I∕R)injury in rats. Methods Twenty-four patho-gen-free healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 2 months, weighing 200-250 g, were divided into 3 groups(n=8 each)using a random number table:sham operation group(group S),group I∕R and propofol pretreatment group(group P).Hepatic I∕R injury was induced by 45 min occlusion of the hepatic artery and portal vein entering the middle and left lobes of the liver followed by reperfusion. In group P, propofol 12 mg·kg-1·h-1was infused via the femoral vein until the end of ischemia starting from 30 min before ische-mia in group P. Blood samples were collected from the inferior vena cava at 120 min of reperfusion for deter-mination of the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β). The rats were then sacrificed and livers were re-moved for determination of phosphorylated NF-κB p65(p-NF-κB p65)expression in liver tissues(by West-ern blot)and apoptosis in hepatocytes(by TUNEL).Apoptosis index(AI)was calculated. Results Com-pared with group S, the levels of ALT, AST, TNF-α and IL-1β in serum and AI were significantly in-creased,and the expression of p-NF-κB p65 in liver tissues was up-regulated in I∕R and P groups(P<005). Compared with group I∕R,the levels of ALT,AST,TNF-α and IL-1β in serum and AI were signifi-cantly decreased,and the expression of p-NF-κB p65 in liver tissues was down-regulated in group P(P<005). Conclusion The mechanism by which propofol pretreatment reduces hepatic I∕R injury is associat-ed with inhibiting NF-κB activity in rats.