This study is to report the study of protective effects of myricitrin against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells and the investigation of the possible mechanisms of action of myricitrin. The model of H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells was used to determine the protective effects of myricitrin. The levels of LDH, MDA and the activities of SOD, NO were measured using the respective kits. The H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells was detected using MTT reduction, TUNEL assay, JC-1 and ROS staining. The activation of Caspase-3 was also measured by fluorometry. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was determined with Western blotting assay. Myricitrin had significant protective effects against H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The results show that myricitrin could attenuate H2O2-induced decrease in the activities of SOD (P < 0.01). Myricitrin could decrease the levels of LDH, MDA and increase cell viability and the mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.01). Myricitrin had protective effects in a dose-dependent manner between 32 micromol x L(-1) to 64 micromol x L(-1). Myricitrin pretreatment could attenuate H2O2-induced increase of p-ERK. Moreover, myricitrin pretreatment could up-regulate the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, down-regulate the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, and decrease the expression of Caspase-3, 9. In conclusion, myricitrin had significant protective effects against H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells. Myricitrin can enhance the activities of anti-oxidative enzymes and decrease the production of free radicals. The possible mechanisms of action of myricitrin are due to myricitrin-mediated inhibition of phosphorylation of the apoptosis signaling pathways-related kinase ERK, up-regulation of the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, and down-regulation of the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein.