AIM: To study the effects of the huangbaiye in the treatment o f recurrent genital herpes. METHODS: The inhibitory activity of huangbaiye on HSV-2 was observed from the cells cultured in vitro in compariso n with cyclo-C and acyclovir. RESULTS: The huangbaiye showed no table direct inhibitory effects on HSV-2 in vitro. The minimal effective concentration was 2.5 g·L -1 , the therapeutic index was 3, the inhibitory activity of huangbaiye ( 2.5 g·L -1 ) was not less than t hat of cyclo-C, and the inhibition virus index was 2.83 in both huangbai...