Abstract: Four groups included normal control (NC,n=10),diabetes mellitus without any treatment (DM,n=9),DM plus epalrestat treatment (EPS,n=10),DM plus baicalin treatment (BCL,n=10).The tissue aldose reductase activity(ARA) was higher in DM group than in NC group (P<0.01), and lower in groups of EPS or BCL treatment than in DM group (all P<0.01).The protein expressions of retinal Bcl-2 and Bax were higher in DM than in NC gruoup (all P<0.05) and lower in EPS or BCL treatment than in DM group (all P<0.01). In conclusion,ARA is increased in DM rat,which promotes the protein expression of Bax and Bcl-2 and the corresponding apoptosis of retinal cell. And ARA inhibitors epalrestat and baicalin are able to delay the development of diabetic retinopatly