Objective: To evaluate the effect of Annexin-A1 mimetic peptide Ac2-26 on activation of astrocytes in rats. Methods: The primarily cultured astrocytes from the cortex of fetal Sprague-Dawley rats after 4 passages were divined into 4 groups (n=24 each) using a random number table method: control group (C group), LPS group, LPS+ scramble peptide group (LPS+ Src group) and LPS+ Ac2-26 group.LPS was added to LPS group with the final concentration of 1 mg/ml.LPS at the final concentration of 1 mg/ml and scramble peptide at the final concentration of 3.3 mmol/L were added to LPS+ Src group.LPS at the final concentration of 1 mg/ml and Ac2-26 at the final concentration of 3.3 mmol/L were added to LPS+ Ac2-26 group.After 24-h incubation, the cell survival rate was measured by CCK-8 assay, the migration was determined by Transwell assay, the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1a (MIP-1a) in the supernatant were measured (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), phosphorylated JNK (p-JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), and phosphorylated p38MAPK (p-p38MAPK) in astrocytes was detected by Western blot. Results: Compared with group C, the expression of GFAP was significantly up-regulated, and the cell mobility, concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, MCP-1 and MIP-1α in the supernatant, p-ERK/ERK ratio, p-JNK/JNK ratio and p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK ratio were increased (P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the cell survival rate in group LPS (P>0.05). Compared with group LPS, the expression of GFAP was significantly down-regulated, and the cell mobility, concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, MCP-1 and MIP-1α in the supernatant, p-JNK/JNK ratio and p-p38MAPK/p38MAPK ratio were decreased in group LPS+ Ac2-26 (P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group LPS+ Src (P>0.05). Conclusion Ac2-26 can inhibit activation of astrocytes and produces anti-inflammatory effect in rats.