Objective To explore the protective effects of Lycium ruthenicum Murr.（ Lrm） on hydrogen peroxide（ H2 O2）-induced cellular oxidative stress injury in heart-derived H9 c2 cells. Methods In this study

H2 O2-induced injury in heart-derived H9 c2 cells was established as cellular oxidative stress injury model. The H9 c2 cells were divided into blank group

model group（ H2 O2400 μmol/L） and experimental group（ Lrm 1. 00 g/L + H2 O2400 μmol/L）. The Lrm group was pretreated with Lrm for 2 h before treated with H2 O2 for 6 h. Cellular morphology of all groups was observed. Cell viability（ MTT assay）

apoptosis rate（ TUNEL assay）

Bcl-2 and Bcl-2 relating x gene protein（ Bax） expression were evaluated（ Western Blotting）. Results Compared with the blank group

abnormal cellular morphology

decreased cell activity

and increased apoptosis were observed in the model group（ P < 0. 05）. Anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 gene was less expressed while pro-apoptotic Bax protein level was increased. Compared with the model group

cellular morphology and activity was greatly improved in the experimental group with reduced apoptosis rate（ P < 0. 05）. The increased expression of Bcl-2 and reduction of Bax were also significantly different.Conclusion Our findings suggest that Lrm tended to improve the H9 c2 myocardial cellular morphology

enhance cell activity and reduce apoptosis rate. Its mechanism of action in reducing oxidative stress injury may be related to the up-regulation of Bcl-2 as well as down-regulation of Bax protein expression.