ObjectiveTo summarize recent researches on mechanism of the hepatic ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and its clinical applications on hepatectomy and liver transplantation. MethodsRelevant references about basic and clinical researches of hepatic IPC were collected and reviewed. ResultsRecent experimental researches indicated that IPC could relieve hepatic ischemiareperfusion injury (IRI) by remaining and improving energy metabolism of liver, regulating microcirculation disorder, decreasing the production of lipid peroxidation and oxyradical. It could also inhibit the activation of inflammatory cells and the release of cytokine, suppress cell apoptosis and induce the release of endogenous protective substance. Till now, most of the clinical researches had confirmed the protective function of hepatic IPC, but there were still some references with opposite opinions. ConclusionHepatic IPC could relieve liver IRI, but its clinical application value on hepatectomy and liver transplantation still need more researches to prove.