Objective: To investigate the antidepressant effect and the protective effects against neurotoxity of tanshinol sodium. Method: The animals were randomly divided into five groups:control group

low dose tanshinol sodium group

medium dose tanshinol sodium group

high dose tanshinol sodium group and amitriptyline group.The effects of tanshinol sodium on immobility time were deserved through the forced swimming test and tail suspension test in rats and mice. Likewise

PC12 cells injury was induced by corticosterone and the effect of tanshinol sodiumon the cell viability were measured by MTT assay. Result: In the rat forced swimming test

the immobility time in the control group was (139±34)s

tanshinol sodium (12

24

48 mg·kg-1) could shorten the immobility time to (107±23)

(89±18)

(76±18)s (compared with the control group

P<0.05).In the mouse forced swim and tail suspension test

the immobility time in control group was (123±39)

(110±26)s

tanshinol sodium (18

36

72 mg·kg-1) could shorten the forced swimming immobility time to (97±28)

(89±23)

(78±19)s

shorten the tail suspension immobility time to(92±24)

(83±26)

(67±15)s

there were significant differences compared with the control group(P<0.05). In addition

PC12 cell viability with treatment of corticosterone was significantly reduced (A) value (0.68±0.08)

there was a significant difference compared with the control group A value (1.41±0.39). Tanshinol sodium (1

10

100 mg·L-1) can significantly improve the survival rate of PC12 cells

there were asignificant differences compared with the corticosterone group. Conclusion: Tanshinol sodium possessed antidepressant effect

the mechanism may be related to its cytoprotective effect.