Objective：To investigate the effectiveness of dietary nitrite supplements  on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) injury in rats. 
Methods：Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: I/R group, nitrite precondition group(N group) and sham operation group (S group). Ischemia and reperfusion of liver was conducted in the I/R group and N group.In N group, nitrite was added to the drinnking water and given to rats at 7 days before making I/R model. In the 3 groups, the level of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and the content of superoxide dismutase (SOD), hepatic tissue malondialdehyde(MDA) and nitric oxide (NO),nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were determined; cell apoptosis was detected by Hoechst staining and liver histopathological changes were observed.Results：The levels of serum AST, ALT, MDA and apoptosis in I/R group were markedly abnormal; but in N group, the above mentioned abnormal changes were significantly reduced and the level of NO was significantly higher as compared with I/R group (P<0.01), while NOS remained relatively unchanged in N group.
Conclusions：Dietary nitrite has significant protective effect on the hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.