Helicobacter pylori infection leads to gastroduodenal inflammation, peptic ulceration, gastric lymphoma and gastric cancer. Certain herbal remedies have been used to treat gastric disease. In this study, we examined the anti-inflammatory effect of San-Huang-Xie-Xin-Tang (SHXT) and its main component baicalin on Helicobacter pylori-infected human gastric epithelial AGS cell. AGS cells were treated with Helicobacter pylori at a bacterium/cell ratio of 300:1. mRNA expression and protein levels were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and western blot analysis, respectively. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) level and the translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and enzyme-linked DNA-protein interaction assay (ELDIA), respectively. Nitric oxide production was measured by Griess reagent. We found that SHXT and baicalin inhibited Helicobacter pylori-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enhancement and IkappaBalpha degradation in both mRNA and protein levels. SHXT and baicalin also inhibited Helicobacter pylori-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and IL-8 mRNA expression, and decreased NO and IL-8 production. Furthermore, SHXT and baicalin inhibited nuclear translocation of p50 subunit of NF-kappaB in Helicobacter pylori-infected AGS cells. Based on the above findings, SHXT and baicalin might exert anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective effects in Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric inflammation.