The inhibitory effects of methanol extracts of 165 medicinal herbs on matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity were investigated. Amongst the herbal extracts, Youngia denticulate, Platycarya strobilacea, Sedum kamtschaticum, Euscaphis japonica, and Comus controversa showed a significant inhibitory effect with above 80% at $1;{mu}g/ml$. Above mentioned five kind extracts, which exclude polyphenols and/or tannin by techniques for their removal, showed a mild inhibitory effect on MMP-2 activity except for Y. denticulate at the same concentration.