For the screening of inhibitors of sterol biosynthesis from natural products, a simple and rapid assay method was developed using recombinant yeast carrying human lanosterol synthase, main target of this assay method. Sterol biosynthesis inhibition activity was monitored only by the inhibition of growth of the recombinant yeast. By changing the substrate, this assay method can figure out which step is inhibited in the sterol biosynthesis by the test material. With this assay method total 102 plant samples were screened for their inhibitory activity of sterol biosynthesis. Among plant water extracts screened, 11 plant samples showed inhibitory activity on sterol biosynthesis in ergosterol (-) medium. For selection of the specific inhibitory materials, 11 plant samples were reassayed in ergosterol (+) medium. After all 5 plant samples, Abutilon avicennae Gaertn. (stem), Alnus japonica Steud. (stem), Amaranthus mangostanus L. (aerial part), Philadelphus schrenckii Pupr. (leaf) and Pimpinelia brachycarpa Nakai (aerial part), showed specific inhibitory activity.