Objective To investigate the effects of magnesium sulfate on neuron apoptosis and the expressions of caspase-3,bax and bcl-2 after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods Thirty-six gerbils were randomly divided into three groups: Sham-operation group (So, n=12), ischemia-reperfusion group (I-R, n=12) and magnesium sulfate group (Ms, n=12). The neuron apoptosis was detected by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-fluorescence nick end labeling (TUNEL stain), and the protein expressions of caspase-3, bax and bcl-2 were detected by immunohistochemisty stain.Results Apoptotic neurons and the expressions of caspase-3 and bax were significantly increased in I-R and Ms groups, compared with those in So group. Apoptotic neurons and the expressions of bax and caspase-3 in Ms group were significantly less than those in I-R group. There was no significant difference in the expression of bcl-2 among three groups.Conclusions Magnesium sulfate decreases neuron apoptosis after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, which may be related with the suppressed expressions of caspase-3 and bax.