Objective To investigate the anti-atherosclerosis effect of apocynum venetum(AV)by observing the influence of AV extract on early inflammatory factor TNF-αexpression.Methods Human U937 monocytes were differentiated to macrophages by the phorbol myristate acetate(PMA)induction and acted with 100 mg/L ox-LDL to form the foam cells for establishing the early atherosclerosis model(ox-LDL group).The different concentrations(0.2,0.4,0.8 mg/L)of AV were added to co-culture for 48 h (AV1,AV2,AV3 groups).The expression level of TNF-αin the supernate was detected by ELISA and RT-PCR respectively.Re-sults Compared with control group,the expression level of TNF-αin the ox-LDL group was significantly increased,the expression level of TNF-αin various AV medication groups(AV1,AV2,AV3 groups)was significantly decreased compared with the ox-LDL group(P<0.05).The AV concentration increase was negatively correlated with the TNF-αexpression level(P<0.05).Conclusion TNF-αis an important inflammatory factor in early atherosclerosis,AV could play the anti-atherosclerosis role by inhibiting the inflammatory factors.