AIM To investigate the effects and the underlying mechanism of Echinacoside (ECH) against 6-OHDA-induced injury in vitro.METHODS 6-OHDA was added to cultured PC12 cells after pretreatment for 1 h with different concentration of ECH or saline and co-incubated for another 24 h.To evaluate the protective effects of ECH, the morphological change was observed by microscope, the viability of PC12 cells was assayed by MTT method.To explore the mechanism of ECH against 6-OHDA neurotoxicity,the mitochondrial oxidation-reduction activity (REDOX), mitochondrial membrane potential (△Ψm), reactive oxygen species (ROS)production, ATP level, cytochrome c release, the activity of caspase 3, and apoptosis in PC12 cells were measured.RESULTS 6-OHDA induced the decrease of cell viability, ROS generation increase, ATP content decrease, mitochondrial dysfunction, and mitochondfia-mediated apoptosis in PC12 cells.ECH could attenuate 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity, inhibit the collapse of △Ψm, reduce the mitochondrial dysfunction.ECH also inhibited cyt c release and caspase 3 activation.CONCLUSION Our results indicate that ECH attenuates 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity through anti-oxidative and anti-apoptosis mediated by mitochondria.