OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of puerarin on alcoholtoxicity in rat pheochromocytoma cell line(PC12). METHODS The PC12 cells were incubated with different concentrations of puerarin in advance. The protective effects of the puerarin on alcohol induced PC12 cel impairment were evaluated according to the fol owing approach: the viability of PC12 cel was determined by MTT assay and the impairment level was evaluated by analysis the leakage content of the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH). The cel apoptosis degree and the pro-apoptotic p53 protein expression were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS Alcohol significantly impaired PC12 cel viability(P<0.05),and increased LDH leakage(P<0.05),induced cell apoptosis and upregulated expression of p53(P<0.05).While Puerarin significantly reversed these changes(P<0.05). CONCLUSION Puerarin might exert protection effect against ethanol-induced neurotoxicity via inhibition the expression of p53 protein. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of puerarin on alcohol toxicity in rat pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12). METHODS The PC12 cells were incubated with different concentrations of puerarin in advance. The protective effects of the puerarin on alcohol induced PC12 cel impairment were evaluated according to the foliation approach: the viability of PC12 cel was determined by MTT assay and the impairment level was evaluated by analysis the leakage content of the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The cel apoptosis degree and the pro-apoptotic p53 protein expression were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS Alcohol significantly impaired PC12 cel viability (P <0.05), and increased LDH leakage (P <0.05), induced cell apoptosis and upregulated expression of p53 (P <0.05) CONCLUSION Puerarin might exert protection effect against ethanol-induced neurotoxicity via inhibition of the expression of p53 protein.