Aim To investigate the expression of autophagy level in the aorta of type 1 diabetic rats and the intervention effect of rapamycin, and determine whether rapamycin has a protective effect on the aorta of diabetic rats by regulating autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and apoptosis. Methods Male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:normal control group, diabetes mellitus group, and rapamycin intervention group. Diabetic rats were induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The rats in the rapamycin intervention group were given rapamycin in a dose of 2 mg/kg once a day by gavage. After rapamycin treatment for 8 weeks, blood samples were collected for biochemical indicators and adiponectin detection. The protein or mRNA expression of Beclin1, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), p62, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), Caspase-12, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), Bax and Bcl-2 were assayed by Western blot or real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Results Compared with normal control group, the level of serum adiponectin in diabetic rats was significantly decreased (P＜0.05), aortic wall was thicker, endothelium was severely damaged, the mRNA and protein expression of Beclin1 and LC3 and the mRNA expression of Bcl-2 in aorta were significantly decreased (P＜0.05), and the mRNA and protein expression of p62, CHOP, Caspase-12 and GRP78 and the mRNA expression of Bax in aorta were significantly increased (P＜0.05).Compared with diabetes mellitus group, the level of serum adiponectin in rapamycin intervention group was significantly increased (P＜0.05), the pathological changes of aorta tissue were significantly alleviated, the mRNA and protein expression of Beclin1 and LC3 and the mRNA expression of Bcl-2 in aorta were significantly increased (P＜0.05), and the mRNA and protein expression of p62, CHOP, Caspase-12 and GRP78 and the mRNA expression of Bax in aorta were significantly decreased (P＜0.05). Conclusions The level of autophagy in aorta tissue of diabetic rats decreased. Rapamycin may protect the aorta of diabetic rats by activating autophagy and alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell apoptosis.