Objective To observe whether additional penehycl idine hydrochloride (PHC) in mechanical ventilation produces therapeutic effect on oleic acid (OA) induced acute lung injury (ALI) in canine. Methods Seventeen male canines (weighing 12-17 kg) were divided into control group (n=5), OA group (n=6) and PHC group (n=6). ALI model was developed by central venous injection of OA in canines of OA and PHC groups. ALI model was kept steady in air, all groups received mechanical ventilation 90 minutes later. Three groups received normal sal ine 0.25 mg/kg without injection of OA(control group), normal sal ine 0.25 mg/kg after injection of OA (OA group) and PHC 0.25 mg/kg after injection of OA (PHCgroup) respectively at 0 h (90 minutes after onset time of ALI/ARDS). The heart rate (HR), mean arteial pressure (MAP), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP), central venous pressure (CVP), pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP), artery blood gas analysis, cardiac output (CO), extravascular lung water index (EVLWI), FiO2 and VT were observed respectively at basel ine, onset time of ALI/ARDS and 0 h, then again at 1 hour intervals for 6 hours. Besides the above, airway peak pressure (Ppeak), airway plat pressure (Pplat), mean airway pressure (Pmean) and positve end-expriatory pressure (Peep) were also observed each hour during 1-6 hours. Oxygenation index (OI), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), alveolar-arterial differences for O2 (AaDO2) and dynamic lung compl iance (DLC) were calculated and pulmonary tissue was collected for histopathologic investigation and dry wet weight ratio (WDR) test. Results The functional parameters of PHC group were improved when compared those of OA group, but there was no siginficant difference; WDR of independent region of three groups were 80.42% ± 3.48%, 82.67% ± 4.01% and 82.26% ± 1.43% respectively; WDR of dependent region of three groups were 80.51% ± 3.60%, 83.71% ± 1.98% and 82.57% ± 1.08% respectively. WDR of PHC group were obviously improved when compared with those of OA group, but there was no significant difference. Independent and dependent regions of PHC group were significantly improved when compared those of OA group in histopathologic scores, alveolar edema, inflammatory infiltration and over-distension (P lt; 0.01). Conclusion Additional PHC in mechanical ventilation produces obvious therapeutic effect on OA induced acute lung injury in canine.