a b s t r a c tThe fluorescence and ultraviolet spectroscopies were explored to study the interaction between edaravone (EDA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) under imitated physiological condition. The experimental results show that the fluorescence quenching mechanism between EDA and BSA is a combined quenching (dynamic and static quenching). The binding constants, binding sites, and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters (DG, DH, and DS) of the interaction system were calculated at different temperatures. According to Förster non-radiation energy transfer theory, the binding distance between EDA and BSA was calculated to be 3.10 nm. The effect of EDA on the conformation of BSA was analyzed using synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. In addition, the effects of some common metal ions Mg 2 þ , Ca 2 þ , Cu 2 þ , and Ni 2 þ on the binding constant between EDA and BSA were examined.