The effects of MeOH extracts from 28 herbal medicines on monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity were investigated. MAO was purified from mouse brain and its activity was determined by fluoro-photometry using kynuramine as a substrate. Three MeOH extracts, Coptis japonica, Cinnamomum cassia and Poncirus trifoliate from the herbal medicines showed a strong inhibitory effect with less than $100;{mu}g/ml$ in their inhibitory amounts of $50\%$ ($IC_{50}$ values) on MAO activity. Four MeOH extracts including Evodia officinalis exhibited a mild inhibition of MAO activity with $100-200;{mu}g/ml$ in their $IC_{50}$ values.