Objective： To investigate the role of autophagy in aristolochic acid Ⅰ（AAⅠ）-induced kidney injury in rat model and to explore related influencing factors.,Methods,2,Wistar rats， male， were randomly divided into normal group， 3-methyladenine（3-MA）group， AAⅠ low-dose group （20 mg/kg）， AAⅠ high-dose group （40 mg/kg）， 3-MA+AAⅠ low-dose group（hereinafter to be refered as combined low-dose group）and 3-MA+AAⅠ high-dose group （hereinafter to be refered as combined high-dose group）， with eleven rats in each group. The 3-MA group was intraperitoneally injected with 20 mg/kg 3-MA firsthy. After intervened for 1 h， other groups were given the corresponding dose of AAⅠ for 9 days continuously. After the last administration， the blood was collected by abdominal aortic method and the kidney was isolated. The levels of serum urea nitrogen（BUN） and serum creatinine（Scr）were detected by biochemical analyzer. The histopathological morphology changes of kidney were observed by light microscope and electron microscope. PCR and immune-histochemical method were used to detect the expression levels of mRNA and protein of Beclin 1， microtubule-associated protein light chain 3（LC3）and p53 in kidney.,Results,2,①The BUN and Scr levels of the AAⅠ high-dose group were significantly higher than that of the normal group， while the BUN and Scr levels of the combined high-dose group were lower than the AAⅠ high-dose group， but the differences have no statistical significance（,P,>,0.05）. ②The results of HE staining and transmission electron microscopy showed different degrees of cell swelling， epithelial cell necrosis， cytoplasmic disintegration and exfoliation in both the AAⅠ high and low dose groups， and the cell swelling in the high-dose group was obviously more serious than that in the low-dose group. Compared with the AAⅠ low-dose group， the renal tubular epithelial cells were swollen， endoplasmic reticulum was dilated， and the injury was slightly aggravated in the combined low-dose group. Compared with the AAⅠ high-dose group， the renal tubular epithelial cells were exfoliated and necrotic， cytolysosomme was faintly observed， and the damage was slightly alleviated in the combined high-dose group. ③Compared with the normal group， the protein and mRNA expressions of Beclin 1， LC3， p53 in rats’ kidney of both the AAⅠ high and low dose groups were significantly increased（,P,<,0.05， ,P,<,0.01）. Compared with the AAⅠ low-dose group， the relative expressions of LC3 and p53 protein in rats’ kidney of the combined low-dose group were significantly decreased（,P,<,0.01）. Compared with the AAⅠ high-dose group， the expressions of these three genes and proteins in rats’ kidney of the combined high-dose group were significantly decreased（,P,<,0.01）. ④Compared with the AAⅠ low-dose group， the expressions of LC3 on mRNA and protein in the kidney of rats in the AAⅠ high-dose group were significantly increased（,P,<,0.01）， and the expressions of Beclin 1 and p53 protein were significantly increased （,P,<,0.01）. Compared with the combined low-dose group， the protein and mRNA expressions of Beclin 1 in rats’ kidney of the combined high-dose group were significantly decreased（,P,<,0.01）， the relative expressions of LC3 and p53 on protein were significantly increased（,P,<,0.01）.,Conclusions,2,Autophagy may occur in the process of kidney damage induced by low dose of AAⅠ and alleviate kidney damage. Excessive autophagy may occur in the process of kidney damage induced by high dose of AAⅠ and aggravate kidney damage. The mechanism may be relevant to the regulation of p53 protein expression .