Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of heme oxygenase-l (HO-1) on renal damage due to hepatic cirrhosis and explore the possible mechanism. Methods Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups including sham group, hepatic cirrhosis group, Hemin group and Znpp group. Hepatic cirrhosis models of rats were established by common bile duct ligation, and then after 5 weeks, rats in the Hemin and Znpp groups received intraperitoneal injection of Hemin (30 μmol /kg) and Znpp (10 μmol /kg) on alternate days, respectively. The biochemical indexes of kidney, the renal morphology changes and the content of HO-1 protein in each group were observed and tested. Results The levels of Scr, Cys-C, Ccr were (44.52±3.31) μmol/L, (0.75±0.04) mg/L, (2.40±0.37) ml/min in hepatic cirrhosis group and (36.96±1.68) μmol/L, (0.50±0.03) mg/L, (3.40±0.62) ml/min in Hemin group and (72.18±3.86) μmol/L, (0.91±0.05) mg/L, (1.03±0.30) ml/min in Znpp group, respectively. The levels of Scr, Cys-C were signifcantly lower in Hemin group than in hepatic cirrhosis group and higher in Znpp group than in hepatic cirrhosis group (P< 0.01), and the level of Ccr was signifcantly higher in Hemin group than in hepatic cirrhosis group and lower in Znpp group than in hepatic cirrhosis group (P< 0.01). The renal pathological lesions were signifcantly improved in Hemin group. Conclusion Intraperitoneal injection of Hemin can improve the renal HO-1 protein expression in rats with liver cirrhosis, thus relieving the degree of kidney damage.