Abstract： Objective： To investigate the effect of salidroside on the expression of myocardial- associated apoptotic factors and levels of B- cell lymphoma- 2(Bcl- 2)， Bcl- 2- associated X protein(Bax) and aspartic acid- specific protease- 3 (Caspase-3) in rats with acute myocardial infarction(AMI). Methods：A total of 75 healthy SPF-level SD rats were randomly selected， and 10 of them were randomly selected as the sham operation group， which were only performed with thoracotomy and suture； the remaining 65 rats were induced by coronary ligation to establish AMI rat models. After the rejection of unqualified models， a total of 50 standard AMI rat models were randomly divided into the model group， the positive control group， and the low， medium and high dose salidroside groups， with 10 rats in each group. The positive control group was given carvedilol at 10 mg/kg. The low，medium and high dose salidroside groups were given 12，24 and 36 mg/kg of salidroside respectively，which were all soluble in 10 mL of normal saline. The sham operation group and the model group were given the same amount of normal saline by gavage. The next day after the successful preparation of the models， the gavage began and lasted for eight weeks. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) was used to detect the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes，the hematoxylin-Eosin staining(HE) for infarct area，BCA staining for protein expressions of Bcl- 2，Bax and Caspase- 3，and fluorescence quantitative PCR for mRNA expressions of Bcl- 2，Bax and Caspase- 3. Results：Compared with those in the sham operation group，the apoptosis index(AI)，myocardial infarct area， protein and mRNA expressions of Bax and Caspase- 3 in the model group were increased(P＜0.05)， and the protein and mRNA expressions of Bcl-2 were decreased(P＜0.05). Compared with those in the model group，the AI，myocardial infarct area，protein and mRNA expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 in the positive control group and the low，medium and high dose salidroside groups were all decreased(P＜0.05)，and the protein and mRNA expressions of Bcl- 2 were increased(P＜0.05). Compared with those in the positive control group，the AI，myocardial infarct area，protein and mRNA expressions of Bax and Caspase- 3 in the low and medium dose salidroside groups were increased(P＜0.05)， and the protein and mRNA expressions of Bcl-2 were decreased(P＜0.05). Conclusion：Salidroside can reduce the apoptosis of cells and the infarct area of AMI rats by down-regulating the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 and up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2.