The hypoglycemic effects of butanol(BuOH) fraction of Polygonatum odoratum with vitamin E in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200-230g were devided into five groups, and four groups induced diabetes mellitus by the STZ injection(45mg/kg b.w.) into the tail vein : Normal, diabetic-control, and three diabetic experimental groups(p. odoratum group, P. od-vit. E group and Vit. E group). All groups were fed on a AIN-76 diet, and the experimental groups were orally administered with the BuOH fraction of Polygonatum odoratum(500mg/kg b.w.) and vitamin E(10mg/kg b.w.) for 14 days. The body weight, diet intake and organ weights were monitored. The plasma levels of glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities were analyzed. The levels of glycogen in liver and muscle, cholesterol in liver were determined. The malondialdehyde(MDA) levels in liver, kidney and lung were assayed. The body weight loss was seen in P. odoratum group, P. od-vit. E group, Vit. E group and diabetic control group, while the loss in P. odoratum group was much less than that in the diabetic control group. The plasma glucose levels were significantly lowered in P. odoratum group compared to diabetic control group. The plasma insulin levels were noticeably higher in P. odoratum and Vit. E groups. The rats in P. odoratum and P. od-vit. E group showed higher liver glycogen levels than in the diabetic control group. The MDA levels in liver, kidney and lung were also significantly reduced in P. od-vit. E and Vit. E groups compared to the diabetic control group. The results suggest that the administration of BuOH fraction of Polygonatum odoratum along with vitamin E reduced blood glucose levels and peroxidative tissue damage in STZ-induced diabetic rats, showing the possibility of preventive and therapeutic use of the wild edible plant to the diabetes mellitus. (Korean J Nutrition 31(9) : 1385-1393, 1998)