Severe acute pancreatitis is a disease associated with high mortality. Proinflammatory cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of severe acute pancreatitis. Therefore, reducing the secretion of proinflammatory factors may improve the condition. Sinomenine, a bioactive alkaloid extracted from Rhizoctonia solanacearum, a soil-borne plant pathogenic bacterium with global distribution, has been shown to exhibit numerous pharmacological effects including inflammation-induced apoptosis. Using an animal model of severe acute pancreatitis, we have shown sinomenine to inhibit apoptosis of pancreatic tissues. Our data also support involvement of JAK2/STAT3 pathway in sinomenine-modulated alleviation of severe acute pancreatitis. We therefore support the notion that sinomenine could serve as a promising therapeutic drug for severe acute pancreatitis treatment.