Abstract: OBJECTIVE To study on the protective effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on L-02 cells injured by triptolide and its mechanism based on Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway. METHODS Human hepatocyte L-02 were cultured in vitro. Effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate(60 μmol·L^-1) on nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2(Nrf2) in triptolide-induced(80 nmol·L^-1) L-02 cells by immunofluorescence; effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on the protein expression of Nrf2 in nuclear and cytochrome P450 3A4(CYP3A4), multidrug resistance associated protein 2(MRP2) and bile salt export pump(BSEP) in cell were determined by Western blotting. RESULTS Triptolide up-regulated the protein expression of Nrf2(P<0.01), and induced Nrf2 transfered to the triptolide-induced L-02 cell nuclear. Compared with triptolide group, magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate could obviously decrease the protein expression of Nrf2 in nuclear(P<0.01). Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate up-regulated the protein expression of CYP3A4, MRP2 and BSEP in triptolide-induced L-02 cell(P<0.01). CONCLUSION Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate can alleviate the damage of L-02 cells induced by triptolide, which may be related to the induction of Nrf2 receptors in the nucleus, CYP3A4, MRP2 and BSEP receptors in cells.