OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of live combined bifidobacterium, lactobacillus and enterococcus capsules for colitis in rats induced by trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS), so as to explore a new therapy for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). METHODS: 50 female adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups i.e. normal control group (G1), untreated TNBS-induced colitis (G2), TNBS-induced colitis treated with live combined bifidobacterium, lactobacillus and enterococcus (G3), TNBS-induced colitis treated with olsalazine (G4) and TNBS-induced colitis treated with both live combined bifidobacterium, lactobacillus and enterococcus and olsalazine at the same dose and duration (G5). Each group received its respective treatment. Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), TNFα and IL-10 were measured with ELISA, colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was determined with spectrophotometric method, histopathologic picture of the colon of each rat was studied with microscope and colonic mucosa damage index (CMDI) was recorded. RESULTS: Serum CRP, TNFα, IL-10, CMDI and colonic MPO in G1 were significantly lower than those in G2 (P < 0.001) with normal colonic architecture.G2 exhibited the most severe colonic inflammation and the highest levels of CRP, TNFα, IL-10, CMDI and colonic MPO with staszica significance. Treatment groups G3, G4 and G5 showed more obvious colonic inflammatory remission and lower levels of serum CRP, TNFα, IL-10 and colonic MPO, G5 being most notable when compared to G2 with staszica significance. In G2, serum levels of CRP, TNFα, IL-10 and colonic MPO activity each correlated positively with CMDI (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Live combined bifidobacterium, lactobacillus and enterococcus can effectively ameliorate colitis in rats induced by TNBS; the underlying mechanism may possibly be associated with the serum levels of cytokines.