The study was conducted to investigate the mechanism of tumor promotion as the time courses and the doses of promoter, and the effect of plant fiavonoids on the TPA-induced ODC responses. The results are summarized as follows: 1. A single, toppical application of 17 nmole of the potent tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate, resulted in an induction of mouse epidermal Ornithine Decarboxylase with a peak at 5 hours after treatment and maximized 5.1 times as large as ODC activities of control. 2. Dose-response curve indicated that the tumor promotion increases proportionally between 1.7 and 170 nmole of TPA. This dose dependency relationship indicated that the ability of TPA to stimulate ODC is linked its ability to promote tumors. 3. Naturally occurring plant fiavonoids with anticarcinogenic and antipromotional activities were tested for their abilities to inhibit ODC response induced by skin tumor promoter TPA. Intra peritoneal administration of fiavonoids compounds (rutin, naphthofiavone, baicalein, quercitrin) and herbal drugs (sophorae rios, crataegi fructus, armeniacae semen) inhibited 17 nmole TPA-induced ODC activities in mouse epidermis in vivo.