Abstract: The aim of present study is to investigate the protective effects and mechanism of salvianolic acid A (SAA) on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. The model was established with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R) with ischemia for 1.5 h and reperfusion for 24 h in adult male SD rats. After the behavior assessment, TTC assay was used to calculate the infarct volume of rat brain; the distribution of Nrf2 in nuclear and cytoplasm and expression of HO-1 were detected by Western blot. The PC12 cells injury model was established with oxygen-glucose deprivation for 6 h and reintroduction for 24 h. Cell viability was determined with MTT assay, and the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 were detected through immunofluorescence staining. The mechanisms were investigated in PC12 cells with Nrf2 knocking down by siRNA. SAA (10 and 20 mg·kg^-1) significantly reduced the neuronal damage in MCAO/R model, and SAA (0.5 and 5 μmol·L^-1) increased cell viability in PC12 cells injury model. Meanwhile, the nuclear translocation of Nrf-2 and the expression of HO-1 were increased in PC12 cell and rats brain. SAA exhibited anti-cerebral ischemia-reperfusion effects. The mechanism may be related to activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, which promotes the synthesis and nuclear translocation of Nrf2 to enhance the expression of the antioxidant protein HO-1.