Ilex kudingcha C.J. Tseng (kudingcha) is a traditional Chinese beverage widely consumed in East Asia. In the present study, the preventative effect of kudingcha on gastric injury was determined in Sprague‑Dawley (SD) rats. High concentrations of kudingcha were observed to reduce the levels of the serum proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α), compared with low concentrations of kudingcha. Gastric secretion volumes were highest in control rats and reduced in the following order; 250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg kudingcha‑treated and normal rats. The pH levels of gastric juice samples obtained from each group revealed the opposite correlation. Gastric injury levels in rats treated with kudingcha were identified to be significantly reduced, demonstrating its anti‑inflammatory properties. Administration of 1,000 mg/kg kudingcha (73.9%) by gavage was demonstrated to induce the highest inhibitory effect on gastric injury. Results of the current study indicate that kudingcha exhibits marked preventive effects on gastric injury.