Objective To investigate the effect of non-coding RNA activated by DNA damage (NORAD) on acute lung injury (ALI) in septic rats by regulating the miR-155-5p/TLR6 molecular axis. Methods The rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, low NORAD expression no-load group (LV-sh-NC), low NORAD expression group (LV-sh-NORAD), low NORAD expression +miR-155-5p low expression no-load group (LV-sh-NORAD+NC antagomir), NORAD low expression +miR-155-5p low expression group (LV-sh-NORAD+miR-155-5p antagomir). ELISA kits were applied to detect interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels; quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was applied to detect the expression of NORAD, miR-155-5p, and Toll-like receptor 6 (TLR6) genes in lung tissue of rats in each group. The ratio of wet weight to dry weight (W/D) of lung tissue was measured. The pathological changes of lung tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, and apoptosis in lung tissue cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling. Western blot was applied to detect the expressions of TLR6, Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 caspase-3) proteins in cells. Dual luciferase reporter gene experiment was applied to verify the relationship between miR-155-5p and NORAD and TLR6. Results Compared with the control group, the lung tissue of rats in the model group and LV-sh-NC group was obviously damaged, the levels of serum IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8, expression of NORAD and TLR6 mRNA in lung tissue, W/D ratio, apoptosis rate, expression of TLR6, Bax, and Cleaved-caspase-3 proteins were obviously increased, the expression of miR-155-5p and Bcl-2 proteins in lung tissue was obviously reduced (P<0.05). Down-regulation of NORAD expression could reduce lung tissue injury, serum IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8 levels, mRNA expression of NORAD and TLR6 in lung tissue, W/D ratio, apoptosis rate, TLR6, Bax, Cleaved caspase-3 protein expression, and cleaved caspase-3 protein expression. The expression of miR-155-5p and Bcl-2 protein in lung tissue were significantly increased (P<0.05). Down-regulating the expression of miR-155-5p could reduce the improvement effect of negatively regulated NORAD on sepsis ALI rats (P<0.05). Conclusion Interference with NORAD can alleviate lung injury in ALI rats by regulating the miR-155-5p/TLR6 molecular axis.