It is known that some natural extracts from plants have a various range of antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity. There are lots of clinical trials to develop toothpastes containing natural extracts for prevention of dental caries and gingival inflammation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity of magnolol containing toothpastes and other commercial toothpastes. Eleven kinds oftoothpastes were used. They include magnolol, sanguinarine, Myrrha, Mori radicis cortex,Cimicifugae rhizoma, sodium fluoride, aminocaprolactic acid etc. Six strains of bacteria were used for this test, ego Porphylomonas gingivalis, Prevotellain-termedia, Actinobacillus actinomy cetemcomitans, Streptococcus mutans, Stretococcus sanguis, and Actinomyces species. Antimicrobial activity was determined by an agar dillution method and a broth microdillution method. Antiinflammatory activity was assessed by the inhibition of $PGE_2$ production from gingival fibroblast with the addition of rHIL-1 and centrifuged solution of toothpastes. Control group was only rHIL-1 additive sample. $PGE_2$ enzyme immunoassay systemfAmersham, In. Buckinghamshire, U.K). $PGE_2$ level was measured by ELISA reader with 450 nm, The results from the study revealed that toothpastes containing natural extracts generally had high antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity. Especially magnolol containing toothpaste showed higher antimicrobial activity than other toothpastes, and sanguinarine containing toothpaste showed particularly high antimicrobial activity in A. actinomicetemcomitans and A. viscosus. In some degree all toothpastes inhibited $PGE_2$ production, but magnolol containing toothpaste was potent inhibitor of $PGE_2$. Sodium chloride containing toothpaste had also effective result. The results suggested that toothpastes containing natural extracts were promising in plaque control and prevention of dental caries and gingivitis.