Objective To study the effects of curcumin on the survival rate of the rats in the dry heat environment of desert. Methods The 40 selected 6～8 week-old male SPF grade SD rats were randomly divided into control group, low-dose curcumin pretreated group, middle-dose curcumin pretreated group, high-dose curcumin pretreated group and solvent group. The control group were fed as normal, the three curvumin pretreated group were gavaged with different dose of curcumin for 7 consecutive days, the solvent group were gavaged equal volume of solvent for 7 consecutive days. Then all the rats were put into the dry heat environment(temperature of 41℃, humidity 10%,ultraviolet radiation 40W/m²) in The Simulated Climate Cabin for Special Environment of Northwest of China, The vital signs of the rats were observed, The core body temperature of the rats were monitored for every half an hour, the dead time were recorded. Results The core body temperature of the five groups had no significant different at the first half hour after the started in the dry heat desert environment(P>0.05). However, after 60 min from the beginning, the core body temperature of the three curcumin pretreated group were significantly lower than the control group and the solvent group at the 7 time point of 60 min, 90 min, 120 min, 150 min, 180 min, 210 min, 240 min. The core body temperature had no significant different in the three curcumin pretreated group at each time point from the beginning to 240 min(P>0.05). The survival time for the control group, low-dose curcumin pretreated group, middle-dose curcumin pretreated group, high-dose curcumin pretreated group and solvent group were(222.95 ± 28.23)min,(231.35 ± 40.96)min,(255.00 ± 30.39)min,(263.80 ± 56.71)min,(223.00 ± 27.23)min, respectively. The survival time of the middle-dose curcumin pretreated group and high-dose curcumin pretreated group were significantly longer than the low-dose curcumin pretreated group, control group and the solvent group(P <0.05), and the high-dose curcumin pretreated group had the most obvious effects on the survival time compared with the other two curcumin pretreated group(P<0.01). Conclusion Curcumin could increase the survival time of rats in the dry heat environment of the desert, which indicated that the curcumin may exert its heat tolerance effects in dry heat environment, curcumin may have potential clinical value in the prevention and treatment for the heatstrok in dry heat environment of desert.