To devise an in vitro screening method for antihepatotoxic activity, $CCl_4-induced$ cytotoxicities in primary cultures rat hepatocytes were examined. When rat hepatocytes were intoxicated with 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 mM $CCl_4$ for 1.5, 3 or 19hr, in order of LDH>GOT>GPT release form hepatocytes was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with 1.5 mM $CCl_4$ for 1.5 hr showed maximum increase in activity of LDH, GOT or GPT released in the medium compared with the control. At this experimental condition, well known antihepatotoxic substances, glycyrrhizin and silybin markedly inhibited $CCl_4-induced$ cytotoxicities. These results demonstrated that the screening method using $CCl_4-induced$ injury in primary cultured rat hepatocytes might be suitable in vitro assay for antihepatotoxic activity.