OBJECT IVE To study the effects and potential mechanism of saltwater stir-baked Eucommia ulmoides on kidney-yang deficiency in rats. METHODS Ninety SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group （15 rats） and modeling group （75 rats）. Modeling group was given adenine intragastrically to establish kidney-yang deficiency model. After modeling，modeling group were randomly divided into model group ，positive control group （Guifu dihuang tablet 2.5 g/kg）， low-dose，medium-dose and high-dose groups of saltwater stir-baked E. ulmoides （1.5，3，6 g/kg），with 15 rats in each group. Administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically ，normal control group and model group were given normal saline intragastrically ，once a day ，for consecutive 8 weeks. The body weight of rats was measured before modeling and after medication. The score of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome was performed after medication. The levels of blood urea nitrogen （BUN），serum creatinine （SCR），testosterone（T）and cortisol （COR）in serum and superoxide dismutase （SOD）activity， malondialdehyde（MDA）level in renal tissue were detected. The pathological changes of renal tissue were observed after HE staining. Relative expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor- 1 α（HIF-1 α）and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 （STAT5） mRNA in renal tissue were detected by RT-PCR. The relative expressions of HIF- 1α，STAT5 and phosphorylated STAT 5 （p-STAT5）protein and the ratio of gray values of p-STAT 5 and STAT 5（p-STAT5/STAT5）in renal tissue were detected by Western blot. RESULTS Before modeling ，there was no statistical significance in body weight of rats in each group （P＞0.05）. After medication， compared with model group ， pathological changes of renal tissue were all recovered in saltwater stir-baked E. ulmoides groups and positive control group ， while body weight ，the level of T in serum and SOD activity qq.com in renal tissue were all increase d significantly （P＜0.05）. The scores of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome ，levels of BUN ， SCR and COR in serum ，MDA level in renal tissue ，the relative expressions of HIF- 1α and STAT5 mRNA，the relative expressions of HIF- 1α，STAT5 and p-STAT 5 protein as well as p-STAT5/STAT5 were all significantly decre ased （P＜0.05）. The above effects of saltwater stir-baked E. ulmoides were in dose-dependent manner （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Saltwater stir-baked E. ulmoides can significantly relieve renal tissue damage in rats with kidney-yang deficiency ，decrease the levels of BUN ，SCR and COR in serum ，increase the level of T in serum ，the mechanism of which may be associated with anti-oxidative stress and inhibition of the expression of HIF- 1α and STAT5 protein.