Objective To investigate the protective effect of SalB on hippocampal neurons in vascular dementia (VaD) rats. Methods 60 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham group, model group, treatment group and nemergolin group, with 15 rats in each group. The change of spatial memory was evaluated by water maze test. The LDH and MDA were detected by ELISA. The ROS detected by DCFH-DA. The morphological changes of hippocampus were observed by Nissl staining method. The ultrastructure of hippocampus was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The expression of NR2A/B, PSD95, PSD93, p-CREB and t-creb were detected by Western blot. 〖WTHZ〗Results Water maze test showed that SalB treatment could reverse the spatial memory disorders of model rats. The levels of MDA, LDH and ROS in CCH group were higher than those in sham group (P＜0.01). After treatment with SalB, MDA, LDH and ROS levels decreased. Nissl staining showed that pyramidal cells in hippocampus of model group were lost obviously, and the number and number of cell layers were decreased. However, the arrangement of pyramidal cells in treatment group and nimergolin group was more orderly, and most of the cells were clear. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the number of synaptic pits and the length of active bands increased after SalB treatment. Western blotting results that compared with sham group, the levels of PSD95, NR2A/B, PSD93 protein and p-CREB/t-creb ratio in model group decreased (P＜0.01). After treatment with SalB, the levels of PSD95, NR2A/B, PSD93 protein and p-CREB/t-creb ratio in treatment group increased (P＜0.01). Conclusion SalB plays a neuroprotective role in VaD, which may be related to the reduction of oxidative stress and the recovery of synaptic protein.