Abstract: This study is to investigate if madecassoside can protect against myocardial reperfusion injury in rabbit heart in vivo. The ischemia reperfusion model was established. Left ventricular function and ECG were monitored at the ischemia and reperfusion period. The infarct areas were expressed as percentage. The levels of LDH, CK, MDA and SOD were measured and C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum was measured by ELISA kit. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis were measured by TUNEL staining. A monoclonal rabbit anti-goat Bcl-2 proteins as primary antibody was used for Bcl-2 immunohistochemical staining. Treatment with madecassoside (3.2, 1.6 and 0.8 mg·kg^-1) iv during ischemia reperfusion injury attenuated myocardial damage, that is, characteristic of decreasing infarct size, decreasing LDH and CK release. Activities of SOD were diminished and MDA level increased obviously in control group whereas pretreatment with madecassoside significantly blunted the decrease of SOD activity, markedly reduced the levels of MDA, CRP and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and upregulated the expression of Bcl-2. Madecassoside has the protective effect against myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury, and effects of anti-lipid peroxidation, enhancement of SOD activity, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis.