Objective To investigate the protective effect of Jinyin Lidan capsule (JYLD) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. Methods Totally 40 SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: blank group, model group, silymarin (positive drug) group, JYLD low-dose group, and JYLD high-dose group, with 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, rats in other groups were given intraperitoneal injection of 40% CCl₄ twice a week for 6 weeks to induce rat hepatic fibrosis. Rats in the silymarin group (0.1 g/kg), JYLD low-dose group (0.6 g/kg), and JYLD high-dose group (1.2 g/kg) were continuously gavaged once a day for 6 weeks during the modeling period. Rat liver index and spleen index were calculated after the experiment; hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes and fibrosis in rat liver tissue; the contents of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and total bile acids (TBA) in rat serum were detected by automatic biochemistry; the antioxidant capacity of rat serum was determined by superoxide dismutase (SOD) assay kit; the levels of inflammation indicators (interleukin［IL］-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor［TNF］-α) in rat serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was detected by immunohistochemical staining; and the relative expression of collagen (Col) Ⅰ, Col Ⅲ,Col Ⅳ, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) mRNA in rat liver tissue was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio was calculated. Results Compared with the model group, the liver index was decreased in the JYLD low- and high-dose groups (both P＜0.01); the serum ALT, AST, and TBA contents were decreased (P＜0.05, P＜0.01); the degree of hepatic fibrosis was improved, and the SOD activity in serum was increased (both P＜0.01); the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α were decreased (P＜0.05, P＜0.01); the positive expression of α-SMA was decreased (P＜0.05, P＜0.01); the relative expression of Col Ⅰ, Col Ⅲ, Col Ⅳ, NF-κB, MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TGF-β1 mRNA was decreased (P＜0.05,P＜0.01); and the MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio was decreased (P＜0.05, P＜0.01). Conclusion JYLD has a protective effect on CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis in rats, and its mechanism may be related to anti-inflammatory effect, reducing extracellular matrix deposition, and inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation.