A novel fluorescent probe 9-(4-(1,2-diamine)benzene-N1-phenyl)acridine(DABPA) was synthesized for the detection of nitric oxide(NO) and characterized by IR, 1H-NMR and EI-MS spectroscopy. Based on a photoelectron transfer mechanism, the fl uorescence intensities of DABPA were investigated with the different concentrations of NO. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the fl uorescence intensity of DABPA had a good linear relationship(R2=0.9977) with NO concentration in the range from 1×10-7 to 1.5×10-6 mol/L with a detection limit of 1×10-8 mol/L. The cytotoxicity induced by DABPA was evaluated by the MTT(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay for biological application. Furthermore, the probe DABPA had also been successfully applied to real-time image NO produced in PC12 cells in the presence of L-arginine. A novel fluorescent probe was synthesized for the detection of nitric oxide (NO) and characterized by IR, 1H-NMR and EI-MS spectroscopy Under the optimal experimental conditions, the fl uorescence intensity of DABPA had a good linear relationship (R2 = 0.9977) with NO concentration in the range from 1 × 10 -7 to 1.5 × 10 -6 mol / L with a detection limit of 1 × 10 -8 mol / L The cytotoxicity induced by DABPA was evaluated by the MTT (3- (4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl) -2,5diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay for biological application. Furthermore, the probe DABPA had also been successfully applied to real-time image NO produced in PC12 cells in the presence of L-arginine.