Biliverdin (BV) has long been thought to be a cytotoxic metabolic waste product. It has also been demonstrated to have important cytoprotective functions during oxidative stress. The present study aimed to examine the cytoprotective effect of BV on NRK-52E cells, a proximal tubular cell line derived from rat kidney. Cells were treated with 50 A mu mol/L cisplatin for 24 h (cisplatin group) or pre-treated with BV for 30 min, then with 50 A mu mol/L cisplatin for 24 h (cisplatin+BV group). Those given no treatment served as a control. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and cell viability by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). The protein expressions of cleaved caspase3, Bax and Bcl-2 were assessed by Western blotting. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured using carboxydichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCF). The results showed that cisplatin induced the apoptosis of NRK-52E cells, decreased cell viability, and increased the formation of ROS by upregulating the expression of cleaved caspase3 and Bax and decreasing Bcl-2 protein expression. These effects could be significantly reversed by pretreatment with BV. It was concluded that BV can protect against cisplatin-induced cell apoptosis through the anti-oxidative effects.