Objective: To investigate the effects of intrathecal administration of ketamine, a non-competitive N-methy-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, combined with morphine on the activation of astrocytes and releases of IL-1β and IL-6 from spinal cord in the rats of morphine tolerance. Methods: Twenty-seven Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into sham-operated, morphine tolerance, and morphine plus ketamine group. The subarachnoid catheterization of all the rats was prepared by the method of Jianping Yang.Morphine 20 μg in 10 μl was administrated intrathecally to induce spinal morphine tolerance once daily for 5 consecutive days. Morphine and ketamine 250 μg in 10 μl total volume was given in morphine plus ketamine group. Three groups all received intrathecal morphine 5 μg in 10 μl for morphine challenge test at 24 h after last administration of the morphine. After morphine challenge test, lumbar spinal tissues were taken for measurement of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) of astrocyte in lumbar spinal horn cord by immunohistochemistry and IL-1βand IL-6 of spinal cord by ELISA. Results: The decrease of ％MPE induced by chronic intrathecal morphine was inhibited by ketamine and hyperalgesia and allodynia induced by morphine-withdrawl were alleviated. The average areas, the average absorbency (-A), the integral absorbency (A) of GFAP immuno-reactive cells in the dorsal horn, and IL-1β and IL-6 of spinal cord were significantly larger in morphine tolerance group than in morphine plus ketamine group. Conclusion: Co-administration of ketamine and morphine enhance antinociceptive effect of morphine and prevent the development of morphine tolerance. Ketamine might attenuate the activation of astrocytes and inhibit the release of IL-1β and IL-6 from spinal cord in repeated intrathecal morphine rats.