Polyamines play important roles in plant tolerance to environmental stress. With the aim of investigating the possible involvement of putrescine (Put) in salt-tolerance mechanisms in vegetable soybean roots, exogenous Put (10 mmol L-1) and its biosynthetic inhibitor D-arginine (D-Arg) (0.5 mmol L-1) were added to nutrient solution when vegetable soybean (Glycine max L.cv. Huning 95-1) seedlings were exposed to 100 mmol L-1 sodium chloride (NaCl). The results showed that Put ameliorated but D-Arg aggravated the detrimental effects of NaCl on plant growth and biomass production. Under NaCl stress, levels of free, soluble conjugated and insoluble bound types of Put in roots of vegetable soybean were reduced, whereas those of free, soluble conjugated, and insoluble bound types of spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) were increased. Exogenous Put eliminated the decrease in Put but promoted the increase of Spd and Spm. However, these changes could be reversed by D-Arg. Under NaCl stress, activities of arginine decarboxylase (ADC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), diamine oxidase (DAO), and polyamine oxidase (PAO) were induced, with exogenous Put promoting and D-Arg reversing these changes. Furthermore, NaCl stress decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes. Exogenous Put alleviated but D-Arg exaggerated these effects of NaCl stress, resulting in the same changes in membrane damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. These results indicated that Put plays a positive role in vegetable soybean roots by activating antioxidant enzymes and thereby attenuating oxidative damage.