The purpose of this research was to investigate effects of glycyrrhizin on the differentiation of preadipocytes, 3T3-Ll cells and to characterize the action of glycyrrhizin that affect the responses of 3T3-Ll cells during differentiation. The differentiation of 3T3-Ll cells was stimulated by glycyrrhizin, and triglyceride contents was increased in the differentiated 3T3-LI cell extracts. Total protein contents was increased by glycyrrhizin or inductive agents in the differentiated 3T3-Ll cell extracts. Calmodulin contents was increased by inductive agents, but the contents was not affected by glycyrrhizin in the differentiated 3T3-Ll cell extracts. The results suggest that glycyrrhizin has a stimulating activity of adipose conversion, but the activity is not related to calmodulin contents during the process of differentiation of 3T3-LI cells.