Aim To investigate the effects of panax nonstaining saponins ( PNS ) on the apoptosis of renal cells induced by cisplatin through the path of mitochon-drion . Methods Male Sprague-Dawley( SD) rats were randomized divided into normal control group, cisplatin model group and the cisplatin+PNS group,with 12 rats of each group. Animals were sacrificed to determine the N-acetyl-β-D-Glucosaminidase ( NAG ) in urine, blood urea nitrogen ( BUN) and serum creatinine ( Cr) concentrations after 8d of intraperitoneal injection. HE-staining was employed to observe renal pathologies. Transmission electron microscopy ( TEM ) was em-ployed to observe the mitochondria of the rats′ injured kidney region. TUNEL staining was employed to detect the distribution of apoptotic cells. Immunnohistochem-istry was used to detect Bax and caspase-9 expression, and expression of Bcl-2 protein was detected by West-ern blot. Results Compared with the normal control group, contents of BUN, serum Cr and urinary NAG levels of rat in the cisplatin model group were increased ( P <0. 01 ) , and some mitochondria of the epithelial cells of renal tubules got injured seriously. The apopto-sis rate of kidney cell was increased ( P<0. 01 ) . The expression of Bax,caspase-9 and Bcl-2 proteins was in-creased ( P < 0. 01 ) . Compared with the cisplatin model group, contents of BUN, serum Cr and urinary NAG levels of rats in the cisplatin model group were decreased ( P <0. 01 ) , and some mitochondria of the epithelial cells of renal tubules were significantly im-proved. The apoptosis rate of kidney cell was decreased ( P<0. 01 ) . The expression of Bax and caspase-9 pro-tein was decreased (P<0. 01),but Bcl-2 protein was increased ( P < 0. 01 ) . Conclusion PNS may in-crease the expression of Bcl-2 protein and decrease the expression of Bax and caspase-9 proteins, which may play a protective role in cisplatin nephritic damage.