To clerify the cytotoxicity of reactive oxygen species in cultured hippocampal neurons of neonatal mouse, toxic effect was measured by MTT assay after cultured cells were incubated for 3 hours in the media containing 1～40 μM concentrations of H₂O₂. In addition, the protective effect of vitamin E was determined in these cultrures. Cell viability was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner after exposure of 10 μM H₂O₂ to cultured mouse hippocampal neurons for 5 hours. In the protective effect of vitamin E, vitamin E prevented the H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity in these cultures. From these results, it suggests that H₂O₂ has toxic effect in cultured mouse hippocampal neurons and vitamin E has protective effect on the cytotoxicity induced by H₂O₂.