Objective To determine the effect of ATP sensitive potassium channel (KATP) openers on the apoptosis of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and on the cardiac biomarkers in the differentiation of the cells into cardiomyocytes. Methods BM-MSCs Were isolated from 4-week-old male SD rats, and then amplified and preconditioned by KATP openers, diazoxide (Dia) and pinacidil (Pin). The cell apoptosis was induced by H2O2, and the apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry. After the BM-MSCs were treated with 2 KATP openers respectively for 2h, the total mRNA was extracted for the expression levels of cardiac specific genes, including cardiac-specific troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), connexin 43 (Cx43) and α-heavy chain protein (α-MHC). Western blotting was used to detect the expression of cTnI, CK and CK-MB. Results Both Dia and Pin of 50mol/L significantly decreased the apoptosis rate of BM-MSCs (P＜0.05). After 2h preconditioning, Dia and Pin obviously increased the mRNA levels of cTnI, CK, CK-MB and Cx43 (P＜0.05), and enhanced the protein levels of CK and CK-MB (P＜0.05). Conclusion KATP openers enhance the expression of cardiac biomarkers in the differentiation of BM-MSCs into cardiomyocytes, and also exert anti-apoptotic effect.