Oxidative stress is considered to be associated with many diseases, such as inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, aging and cancer. An important etiological mechanism of these diseases may be a causal relationship between the presence of oxidants and the generation of lipid hydroperoxides derived from enzymatic reactions or xenobiotic metabolism. The hydroperoxides can be decomposed to alkoxy- (ROㆍ) and peroxy- (ROOㆍ) free radicals that can oxidize other cell components, resulting in changes in enzyme activity or the generation of mediators, which can cause further cell damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of aqueous extract from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae), Changkil (CK), to affect cellular response in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes to t-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity. CK-treated cells showed an increased resistance to oxidative challenge, as revealed by a higher percent of survival capacity in respect to control cells. CK reduced t-BHP-enhanced lipid peroxidation measured as production of malondialdehyde and enhanced intracellular reduced glutathione depletion by t-BHP. Furthermore, CK protected from the t-BHP-induced intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species assessed by monitoring dichlorodihydrofluorescein fluorescence. It can be concluded that CK exerts an antioxidant action inside the cell, responsible for the observed modulation of the cellular response to oxidative challenge, and CK have a marked antioxidative and hepatoprotective potency.