AimTo study the role and principle of taurine in inhibiting atherosclerosis induced by hyperlipemia and hyperhomocysteinemia in rabbit.Methods33 healthy male New Zealand big-eared white rabbits were divided into 3 groups: normal, model and intervention group.Blood was drawn for laboratory test at 0, 2nd, 12th week respectively.The rabbits were executed and abdominal aortas were taken out for pathology dyeing at 12th week. ResultsHomocysteine (Hcy), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) of intervention group had no significant difference in comparison with model group (P>0.05).However, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) lowering had significant difference (P<0.05).Atheromatous plaques area, endothelium thickness and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) positive cells percentage of intervention group were obviously reduced in comparison with model group (P<0.05).ConclusionTaurine, as endogenous cell protective substance, may inhibit atherosclerosis through suppressing endothelial hyperplasia, vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration, reducing hyperlipemia and suppressing oxidation stress rather than lowering hyperhomocysteinemia.