To　study　the　effect　of　oxymatrine　(Oxy)　on　airway　inflammation　and　the　distribution　of　dendritic　cells　(DC)　in　lung　and　spleen　tissues　of　asthmatic　mice.Fifty　BALB/c　mice　were　assigned　into　five　groups　(n=10):　an　asthma　model　group,　a　dexamethasone　(Dex)　treatment　group　and　three　Oxy　treatment　groups　(Oxy　dose:　20,　40　and　80　mg/kg　respectively).　The　histological　changes　of　lung　tissues　were　observed　by　hematoxylin　and　eosin　staining.　The　expression　of　33D1　antigen　(a　marker　of　DC)　in　lung　and　spleen　tissues　were　detected　by　immunohistochemical　staining.The　inflammatory　reactions　of　the　lung　tissues　in　the　Dex　or　Oxy　treatment　groups　were　less　severe　than　those　in　the　asthma　model　group.　33D1　antigen　was　remarkably　expressed　in　the　lung　and　spleen　tissues　of　the　asthma　model　group.　After　Dex　treatment,　the　expression　of　33D1　antigen　in　the　lung　and　spleen　tissues　decreased　significantly　(P＜0.01).　33D1　antigen　expression　in　the　lung　tissues　was　significantly　reduced　in　all　of　the　three　Oxy　treatment　groups　in　a　dose-dependent　manner　compared　with　that　in　the　asthma　model　group　(P＜0.01).　The　treatment　with　Oxy　of　40　and　80　mg/kg　decreased　significantly　the　33D1　antigen　expression　in　the　spleen　tissues　(P＜0.01).Oxy　can　alleviate　airway　inflammation　and　reduce　the　number　of　DC　in　lung　and　spleen　tissues　of　asthma　mice,　which　may　be　contributed　to　the　mechanism　of　Oxy　for　treatment　of　asthma.