Objective:The goal of this study is to explore the effects of ulinastatin on acute lung injury in fetal rat induced by fetal distress,and provide support for developing a new treatment of respiratory distress syndrome. Methods:A total of 16 SD pregnant rats were randomly divided into four groups:the control group(group C),the ulinastatin control group(group S),the fetal distress group(group A),and the ulinastatin treatment group(group U). Group C and group S were sham operation groups. Fetal rat intrauterine distress model was set up in both group A and group U. Thirty minutes before the operations,the pregnant rats in group S and group U received injection of ulinastatin 50 000 U/kg through femoral vein. Five living fetal rats were removed in each pregnant rat. The blood gas analysis and the lung wet / dry weight ratio(W/D)of fetal rats were determined. The pathological changes in the lung tissue of fetal rats were observed by H&E staining,and the protein expression of NF-κB p65 were measured by Western blot. Furthermore,the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the fetal lung were measured by ELISA. Results:All the results in group S had no significant difference with group C(P >0.05). The pH value and partial pressure of oxygen were significantly lower in group A than group C,and those in group U were obviously higher than group A(P<0.05). The partial pressure of carbon dioxide,lactic acid content,the lung W/D,and the protein expression of NF-κB p65,the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 of fetal rats were all significantly increased in group A than group C(P<0.05),and those in group U were obviously lower than those in group A(P<0.05). The congestion and edema of the lung tissue in group U were obviously alleviated than that of group A. Conclusion:Ulinastatin can alleviate the degree of acute lung injury in fetal rat induced by fetal distress by decreasing the protein expression of NF-κB p65,the levels of TNF-α and IL-6,inhibiting the inflammatory response and increasing the partial pressure of oxygen.