In the present study, the author intended to investigate whether two oriental medical prescriptions named socheongryong-tang(SCRT) and Kamichihyo-san(KCHS) significantly affect mucin release from cultured hamster tracheal surface epithelial(HTSE) cells. Confluent HTSE cells were metabolically radiolabeled with ³H-glucosamine for 24 hrs and chased for 30 min in the presence of SCRT or KCHS to assess the effect of each agent on ³H-mucin release. Possible cytotoxicities of each agent were assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) release. Also, the effects of SCRT and KCHS on contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle were investigated. The results were as follows: (1) SCRT significantly inhibited mucin release from cultured HTSE cells, without cytotoxicity; (2) KCHS significantly increased mucin release without cytotoxicity; (3) SCRT and KCHS did not affect contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. We suggest that the effects of SCRT and its components should be further investigated and it is of great value to find, from oriental medical prescriptions, novel agents which have the possible inhibitory effects on mucin release from the viewpoint of management of hypersecretion of airway mucus.