ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of pretreating donor liver with salvianolate on biliary injury after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in rats,and to discuss the underlying mechanisms. MethodsAccording to the preservation solutions of the liver grafts, the recipients rats were allocated in three groups: UW solution group, salvianolate group (UW solution + 0.4 mg/ml salvianolate), and saline group (UW solution + saline). In experiment 1, the recipient rats underwent arterialized OLT with biliary extra-drainage, and the bile flow and bile salt secretion were recorded at 1, 6, and 24 h post-transplantation. In experiment 2, the recipient rats underwent arterialized OLT, and the serum alkaline phosphatase, bile salt, total bilirubin, and the incidence of biliary complications were examined at 2 weeks post-transplantation. Meanwhile, the mRNA and protein expression of bile salt export pump (BSEP) in the liver samples were also detected using real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis,respectively. ResultsCompared with the UW solution and saline groups, salvianolate group exhibited significantly increased bile flow and bile salt secretion at 1, 6, and 24 h post-transplantation (P<0.05). At 2 weeks post-transplantation, salvianolate group had significantly lower serum alkaline phosphatase, bile salt, total bilirubin(P<0.05), and incidence of biliary complications(P<0.01), and significantly higher expression of BSEP mRNA and protein compared with the other two groups (P<0.05). ConclusionSalvianolate addition in UW preservation solution can ameliorate biliary injury and reduce the incidence of biliary complications after OLT in rats, which might be associated with increased expression of BSEP in liver graft.