Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound. It has been reported that RA possessed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Our previous study showed that RA could protect MES23.5 dopaminergic cells against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced neurotoxicity in vitro. The purpose of this study was to explore the neuroreparative (neurorescue) effect of RA on 6-OHDA-lesioned rat model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in vivo. In this study, female Wistar rats weighing 200-220 g were given 20 mg/kg RA by intragastric administration from day 1 after 6-OHDA lesioning and continued till the 21st day. Results showed that the dopamine content in the striatum decreased (n=6, p<0.05) and the numbers of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons reduced after 6-OHDA treatment (n=6, p<0.01). RA treatment after 6-OHDA administration could restore these changes. Further studies demonstrated that 6-OHDA treatment increased the iron-staining positive cells, which were markedly decreased by RA treatment (n=6, p<0.01). Moreover, RA suppressed the increased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 at gene level induced by 6-OHDA (n=6, p<0.01). This indicates that the neurorescue effects of RA against 6-OHDA-induced degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system were achieved by decreasing nigral iron levels and regulating the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax gene expression.