To investigated the influence of NF-kB-vasoactive intestinal peptide on intestinal dysmotility in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham- operation (SO) group, SAP group and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) group. To calculated intestinal propulsion index, we measured length of the small intestine and intestinal canal labeled by glucan; Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). we were used RT-PCR (Real Time-polymerase chain reaction) and used TaqMan fluorescent probes in this experiment. The intestinal propulsion rate (IPR) in SAP group is significantly lower than that in SO group and PDTC group (P <0.05). Serum VIP in SAP group is significantly higher than that in SO group (P = 0.000). Serum VIP in SAP group is lower than that in PDTC group (P = 0.021). Compared to SO group and PTDC group, VIP of intestinal tissue is significantly low in SAP group (P <0.05). There was a negative correlation between IPR and VIP. VIP mRNA expression was higher in SAP group than that of S0 group (P=0.019). VIP mRNA expression in PTDC group was lower than that of in SAP group (P=0.006). When SAP occurred, activation of NF-k B exists in the neuroendocrine cells of secreting VIP, NF-k B inhibit intestinal motility through the promotion of VIP expression. Intestinal motility may be more closely related to intestinal tissue VIP concentration.