Studies have shown that prostaglandin E2 (PG E2) can prevent liver necrosis due to several agents. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is also known with its cytoprotective efficiency. To determine the degree of cytoprotective effectivenesses of these two agents, 20 female rats were divided into 5 groups.Livers of rats treated only with carbon tetrachloride showed severe necrosis. In groups pretreated with prostaglandin E2 and dimethyl sulfoxide, degree of necrosis was very low. Especially prostaglandin E2 could perform this cytoprotection very well.It is concluded that these two cytoprotective agents could prevent carbon tetrachloride-induced liver cell necrosis in the rats at different degrees.