OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of glycine on serum levels of IL-1 and IL-6 in rats with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) induced by endotoxin and hypoxia. METHODS: Forty SD rats were randomly assigned into the glycine-treated group and the normal saline (NS) control group. In the glycine-treated group, glycine (1 g/kg) was injected intravenously and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of 2 mg/kg was administrated five minutes later. The control group rats were treated with the same volume of NS as a substitute for glycine. In both groups, 90 minutes after injection of LPS, FiO2 given was reduced from 21% to 5% and ventilation continued for 180 min or until the death of rats. At the end of the experiment, the blood samples and sections of the intestine were obtained immediately. Serum levels of IL-1 and IL-6 were measured using ELISA. The histopathological changes of the small intestine were studied. RESULTS: The survival time of the glycine-treated group was significantly longer than that of the control group [(159.25 ±22.78) min vs (138.75 ± 19.05) min] ( P < 0.01). The injury of the small intestine in the glycine-treated group was markedly alleviated ( P <0.01). The levels of IL-land IL-6 in the glycine-treated group were significantly lower than those in the control group [(149.1 ±76.1) ng/L vs (472.1 ± 505.6) ng/L, (204.8 ± 163.5) ng/L vs (585.8 ± 574.5) ng/L, respectively] ( P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Glycine could reduce the levels of IL-1 and IL-6 and alleviate injuries of the intestine in rats with NEC induced by LPS and hypoxia.