Abstract: OBJECTIVE To study the effect of cicada aqueous extract on epithelial-mesenchymal transition of renal tubular epithelial cells(HK-2) induced by high glucose. METHODS HK-2 cells induced by high glucose were used to establish diabetic nephropathy model. The cells were divided into normal group, high glucose group, benazepril group, and cicada aqueous extract low and high dose group(0.1, 0.5 mg·L^-1). After 24 hours of culture, the expression of TGF-β1 and FN were determined by ELISA, α-SMA was determined by Western blot. RESULTS Compared with the normal group, the expression of α-SMA, TGF-β1 and FN protein in the high glucose group was significantly increased(P<0.01). Compared with high glucose group, the indexs in benazepril group and cicada aqueous extract high dose group were significantly decreased(P<0.01). CONCLUSION Cicada aqueous extract may reduce the expression of TGF-β1, α-SMA and FN proteins, so as to relieve or even reverse glomerular sclerosis and renal interstitial cell fibrosis and achieve the effect of treating diabetic nephropathy.