The mode of safening action and potency of the 1, 8-naphthalic anhydride(NA) were investigated in corn(Zea mays) and soybean(Glycine max) treated with herbicide bensulfuron[2-{{{{{(4,6-dimethoxy-2-pyrimidinyl)amino}carbonyl}amino}sulfonyl}methyl}benzoic acid] and imazaquin[2-{4,5-dihydro-4-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-2-yl} 3-quinolinonecarboxylic acid]. Seed dressing with 0.2%(w/w) NA showed successful protection in corn against injury from herbicide bensulfuron and imazaquin but not in soybean. Safening factors of NA against bensulfuron and imazaquin were 10.2 and 5.0, respectively, in corn, while they were both 1.3 in soybean. In vivo, Glutathione-S-transferase(GST) activity of NA-treated corn and soybean increased 1.8-and 1.3-fold, respectively, but the activity was not affected by the herbicides in vitro. Acetolactate synthase(ALS) levels of NA-treated corn was increased 1.3-fold, but not changed in soybean. Tolerance of ALS activity to the herbicides was slightly greater in ALS obtained from NA-treated corn than that from the untreated, whereas the difference was not found in soybean. A significant increase of ACCase due to NA occurred in corn, but not in soybean. The herbicides did not affect in vitro ACCase activity.