The inhibitory effects of extracts from eight Chinese medicinal plants on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were investigated.The results showed that the different solvent extracts of eight plants showed different inhibition on AChE.At the sample concentration 1 mg/mL,the strong alkaline extract of Cortex phellodendri and the n-butanol extract and the ethyl acetate extract of spatholobus sinensis showed the strong inhibitory effects against AChE (inhibition rate>50%).The corresponding IC₅₀ values were obtained as 0.20±0.017,0.56±0.12 and 0.23±0.10 mg/mL,respectively.This study provided rapid screening of potential AChE inhibitors from Chinese medicinal plants.