Abstract: Objective: To investigate the protective effects of salbutamol on ventilator-induced lung injury in an old rat model. Methods: 24 healthy male wista rats were randomly divided into three groups.Group A served as control group,Group B received large tidal volume ventilation,and Group C received the same tidal volume ventilation as Group B and was treated with salbutamol.After ventilation,all the rats were killed.We detected wet to dry right lung weight ratio（W/D）,the concentration of total protein and albuminin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid（BALF）and the activity of _tNOS and _iNOS in lung tissue bomogenate.Lung histopathology of the three groups was assessed. Results: Wet to dry right lung weight ratio and the concentration of total protein and albuminin in BALF were significantly higher in Group B than in Group A and Group C.The activity of _tNOS and _iNOS in lung tissue bomogenate was significantly lower in Group B than in Group A and Group C.Histopathologic findings demonstrated more infiltrating WBC in Group B than in Group A and Group C. Conclusion: The results suggest that the activity of _tNOS and _iNOS decreases in lungs of VILI old rats and salbutamol has obvious protective effects on VILI by increasing the activity of _tNOS and _iNOS.