Glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a disabling bone disease and it affects a lot of patients in the world widely. To investigate the effect of pravastatin on the early stage of GC-induced ONFH, white rabbits were injected twice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 10 ug/kg each and three times with methyprednisolone (MPS) at 20 mg/kg each to the constructed ONFH model. The model groups were randomly divided into groups B and C. Group C was treated with pravastatin from the 5th week. Six rabbits in each group were tested; the blood lipids of 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. The rabbits were sacrificed at the 8, 12 and 16 weeks after the blood test. Both histopathologic and molecular studies were performed. The blood lipids levels of cholesterol (CHOL), triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) changed significantly in the model group. After the continuously treatment of pravastatin, the blood lipids levels recovered significantly in group C were compared with those of group B. Necrosis was reduced and new bone repair increased; the repair of ONFH was enhanced in group C. The results suggested that, pravastatin was useful to treat the GC-induced ONFH in the early stage. © 2011 Academic Journals.