Abstract: OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of resveratrol on apoptosis, oxidative damage and inflammatory response of osteoarthritis chondrocytes induced by H₂O₂. METHODS MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of primary chondrocyte treated with H₂O₂ and/or resveratrol, and flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of chondrocyte. The expression levels of Nrf2-HO-1/NQO-1 signal factor, antioxidant enzyme gene SOD-2, GPx4 and CAT, inflammatory signal factor NF-κB, COX-2 and iNOS were detected by real-time quantitative fluorescence PCR and Western blotting. Flow cytometry was used to detect the level of ROS and lipid oxidation. The release of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in each treatment group was detected by ELISA. RESULTS Resveratrol could restore the apoptosis of primary chondrocyte induced by H₂O₂and increase the proliferation activity of chondrocyte; upregulate the expression of Nrf2-HO-1/NQO-1 signal factor and antioxidant gene SOD-2, GPx4 and CAT, and reduce the ROS and lipid oxidation level induced by H₂O₂; reduce the expression of inflammatory signaling factors NF-κB, COX-2 and iNOS induced by H₂O₂, and decrease the release of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α. CONCLUSION Resveratrol may play a protective role on chondrocyte by increasing the activation of transcription factor Nrf-2 and its direct antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in order to improve the oxidative damage and inflammatory response of osteoarthritis.