Background Chai Lai Prescription is a Chinese herbal compound which is used to sooth the liver,strengthen the spleen and harmonize the stomach for descending adverse Qi.We initiated the study to investigate its mechanism of treating in vitro rabbit reflux esophagitis models.Methods Adult male Japanese white rabbits,weighing 1.8-2.2 kg,were divided into five groups of three each,which were:normal control group (Krebs buffer,pH7.4),esophagitis model group (Krebs buffer,pH5.8),esophagitis model proup+low-dose Chinese herbal medicine protection group (0.6 mg·ml1·kg1),esophagitis model group+moderate-dose Chinese herbal medicine protection group (6 mg·ml1·kg1),esophagitis model group+high-dose Chinese herbal medicine protection group (60 mg·ml1·kg1).The RT-PCR method was used to test the influence of Chai Lai Prescription on IL-1 and IL-6 in in vitro rabbit models of esophagitis.We treated the in vitro models with different doses of Chinese herbal medicine.Results Esophageal mucosa were filled with various liquids.IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA expression was increased in rabbit esophageal mucosa stimulated with acid.Chinese herbal medicine significantly reduced the levels of IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA expression in the in vitro cultured rabbit esophageal mucosa.Using Chinese herbal medicine to treat in vitro models of RE,we found that the IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA expression levels went down,near to or lower than the normal control levels,compared with the group treated with acidified buffer solution.Conclusions Chai Lai Prescription lowered the IL-1β and IL-6 cytokine mRNA levels and protected the esophageal mucosa in the in vitro models of reflux esophagitis,suggesting that the traditional Chinese herbal compound may be able to treat reflux esophagitis by inhibiting the its inflammatory mediators.