We have studied an activation mechanism of $pp60^{c-src}$ protein tyroslne kinase (PTK) by ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ (G-$Rg_1$ ) in NIH(pMcsrc/foc)B c-src overexpressor cells. It was previously reported that G--$Rg_1$ stimulated the activation of c-src kinase at 20 pM with a 18 hr-incubation, increasing the activity by 2-4-fold over that of untreated control, and this effect was blocked by treatments of in- hibitors of either protein synthesis (cycloheximide) or RNA synthesis (actinomycin D) (Hong, H.Y. et at. Arch. Pharm. Res. 16, 114 (1993)). However, an amount of c-src protein itself in wild-type cells was not changed by G-$Rg_1$. When the cells mutated at one or two tyrosine residue(s) (Y416/527) that are important sites to regulate the kinase activity were treated with G-$Rg_1$, increases both in the activity of c-src kinase and in the expression of the protein were not observed. In addition, removal of extracellular calcium ion by EGTA or inhibition of PKC by H-7 canceled the G-$Rg_1$-induced activation of the kinase. Although the activation was little affected by G-$Rg_1$ with a calcium ionophore A23187, it was synergistically stimulated by treatment of G-Rgl and PMA, a PKC activator. Taken together, these results suggest that the activation of c-src kinase by G-$Rg_1$ is caused by an increase in the specific activity of the kinase, but not in amount of it, and is involved with both collular calcium ion and PKC. Further the increase in the specific activity of c-src kinase may result from altered phosphorylation at tyro-416 and -527.