Objective To investigate the effects of icariin and its metabolite, baohuoside I, on the pathology andinflammation of lung tissue in tracheotomized rats. Methods Seventy-two SPF male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomlydivided into four groups: normal control group (A), model control group (B), and model treatment group (C and D) with18 rats in each group. A rat tracheotomy tube indwelling model was established. At 6 hours after successful modeling, thegroups C and D were administered icariin and baohuoside I, respectively. The groups A and B were administered an equalamount of 0. 9% normal saline. Lung tissue and alveolar lavage fluid were collected at 24, 72, and 168 h. Pathologicalexamination of the lung tissues was performed using HE staining. ELISA was used to detect the interleukin-6 (IL-6) andtumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in alveolar lavage fluid. Results After the tracheotomy, the degree of histologicalchanges in the lung tissues of the group B was gradually increased over time, significantly higher than that in the group A( P < 0. 05). The degree of lung injury in the groups C and D was significantly lower than that in the group B, and that inthe group D was significantly lower compared with the group C at 24 and 168 h after tracheotomy ( P < 0. 05). Thepathological score of group D was significantly lower at 168 h ( P < 0. 01 compared with 24 h). The contents of IL-6 andTNF-α in alveolar lavage fluid of the rats after tracheotomy were significantly higher than those in the group A ( P < 0. 05).After treatments with baohuoside I and icariin, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the groups C and D were significantly lowerthan those in the group B at 72 and 168 h ( P <0. 05), and the IL-6 and TNF-α contents in the groups C and D at 72 h and168 h were significantly lower than that after 24 h ( P <0. 05). There was no significant difference in the IL-6 contents ofgroups C and D at 72 h and 168 h ( P > 0. 05). TNF-α contents in the group D at 72 and 168 h were significantly lowerthan that in the group C ( P < 0. 05). Conclusions Baohuoside I and icariin have certain therapeutic effects on the earlylung inflammation after tracheotomy. The mechanism is related to inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors IL-6 andTNF-α into alveolar lavage fluid and alleviating lung tissue damage. Moreover, the effect of icariin is better than that of baohuoside I.