As a result, P showed significant protection as evidenced by the decrease of elevated aminotransferases, hepatocytes apoptosis and caspase-3, alleviation of mortality and improvement of liver pathological injury in a dose-dependent manner. Further, we found that P dose-dependently reduced the elevation of phospho-p38 MAPK, phospho-JNK, phospho-ERK protein and TNF-α mRNA expression in liver tissues and plasma TNF-α. These results suggest that AS has remarkable hepatoprotective effects on LPS/D-GalN-induced liver injury and the possible mechanism is related to inhibition of TNF-α and MAPKs.