Rhodiola sachalinensis fermentates by lactic acid bacteria were prepared using the adsorption process, and were investigated for changes of the main compounds and anti-oxidative activities during the adsorption and fermentation process. While the R. sachalinensis extract (RSE), which did not go through the adsorption process, showed little change in pH during fermentation and a significant reduction in the number of lactic acid bacteria, the pre-preparatory adsorption process was found to be helpful for promoting fermentation and for maintenance of bacterial numbers. The contents of total phenolic compounds mostly decreased during the adsorption process, but showed an increasing tendency to rebound during the fermentation process. The contents of salidroside and p-tyrosol in the RSE were 1153.3 mg% and 185.0 mg% respectively, and they did not significantly change after treatment with acid clay or bentonite as adsorbents, which were 1093.0 and 190.5 mg% by acid clay, and 882.2 and 157.3 mg% by bentonite. When the extract was fermented after treatment with acid clay or bentonite, the salidroside contents were decreased by 282.7 and 505.0 mg% respectively, but the p-tyrosol contents were increased by 714.0 and 522.4 mg% respectively. Compared to the DPPH radical scavenging activity of the RSE (66.8%) at the conc. of 0.1%, that of the fermented RSE, which went through adsorption process with acid clay or bentonite, was significantly increased to 79.4 and 72.7% respectively at the same concentration (p<0.05). Though fermentation by lactic acid bacteria was suppressed in the RSE, the results suggested that the adsorption process may promote fermentation without any change in the content of major active compounds. It is expected that fermentation by lactic acid bacteria could improve the antioxidant activity and various associated functionalities of R. sachalinensis.