Previous studies have shown that methanol extract and its butanol fraction of Carthamus tinctorius L. Semen have the hepatoprotective effect on the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. The hepatoprotective effect of the subfractions of butanol fraction has been evaluated by analyzing oxygen free radical scavenging enzyme activities and histopathological examinations. In BS-5 subfraction treated group, the activity of superoxide dismutase has been significantly increased as compared with that of CCl4, treated rats. Antioxidant activity has been evaluated by the examination of the scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical. BS-5 subfraction has shown strong antioxidant activities. The histopathological examination showed that the treatment of BS-5 subfraction has relieved the ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes which had been generated by CCl4. It appears that the protective effect of BS-5 subfraction would be mediated of the attenuation of lipid peroxidation by acting as a free radical scavenger, which were based on the increase of superoxide dismutase activity.