Objective:To evaluate the effect of the combined use of glutamine and growth hormone on the intestinal permeability and the bacterial translocation of rats with obstructive jaundice(OJ). Methods:The study was designed as a prospective,randomized and controlled animal experiment. The common bile duct was ligated to obtain obstructive jaundice model. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into 6 groups with 10 rats in each group:Group Ⅰ,Control Group with normal saline(1.5 ml/d) intragastric administration;Group Ⅱ,Sham-operated Group with normal saline(1.5 ml/d) intragastric administration;Group Ⅲ,OJ Group with normal saline(1.5 ml/d) intragastric administration;Group Ⅳ,OJ Group with Glutamine(Gln) of 0.2 g/(kg·d) intragastric administration;Group Ⅴ,OJ Group with Growth hormone(GH) of 2 U/(kg·d) subcutaneous injection;Group Ⅵ,OJ Group with Gln of 0.2 g/(kg·d) intragastric administration and GH of 2 U/(kg·d) subcutaneous injection. On postoperative 9th day,each rat received dual saccharides by intragastric administration. On day 10 postoperatively,24 h urine sample of each rat was collected for L/M test,while liver,spleen,mesenteric lymph node(MLN) and the inferior caval blood samples of each rat were obtained for bacterial culture and serum biochemical test,respectively. Results:Except that there was no significant change in the L/M value between groupⅠand Ⅱ(P > 0.05),and between group Ⅳ and group Ⅴ (P > 0.05),there were significant differences between any other two groups in six groups(P < 0.05). The bacterial translocation ratio in group Ⅵ was significantly lower than that in group Ⅳ or Ⅴ(P < 0.003 3 respectively) whereas there was no significant difference in bacterial translocation ratio between group IV and V (P > 0.003 3). The bacterial translocation rate in group Ⅳ was significantly lower than in group Ⅲ(P < 0.003 3);The bacterial translocation ratio in group Ⅵ was significantly higher than that in group Ⅰ or Ⅱ(P < 0.003 3 respectively),while it was similar between groupⅠand Ⅱ(P > 0.0033). Conclusion:The combined administration of Gln and GH is more effective than using each agent alone on reducing intestinal hyperpermeability and bacterial translocation ratio in obstructive jaundice.