By perfusing livers from Wistar rats rendered sepsis with acute obstructive cholangitis(AOC)in vitro in a nonrecirculating mode,we measured the rates of gluconeogenesis from saturating concentration of lactate (5 mmol/L) plus pyruvate (05 mmol/L) and the response of gluconeogenesis to glucagon and epinephrine.We also studied the AOC induced alterations in the milieu of gluconeogenic (glucagon,epinephrine and cortisol) and conterregulatory (insulin) hormones.The results showed the rate of gluconeogenesis of AOC 24 h.group was significantly reduced and this reduction could be compensated by increases of glucose precursors,especially lactate and of gluconeogenic hormones to a serum glucose level as much as 2.5 times the normal which is needed in stress reaction.The rate of gluconeogenesis of AOC 48 h.was further decreased and this decrease could not be compensated probably as a result of severe damage to hepatocytes. The results indicate that the reduced glucose metabolic response due to AOC may play an important role in the development of cholangitisinduced dysfunction of multiple organs.