Recent studies have suggested that Panax ginseng saponins may stimulate pancreaticobiliary secretion. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the alterations in pancreaticobiliary function associated with ginseng saponins remain uncertain. We studied the effects of ginseng saponins and devazepide, cholecys-tokinin receptor antagonist, on pancreaticobiliary secretion in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The saponins tested were crude saponin (TS) and panaxatriol saponin (PTS). After single or two weeks administration of saponins, pancreaticobiliary juice of rats was collected for 8hrs. Single administration of TS and PTS did not change the volume of pancreaticobiliary juice compared with control group. In contrast, the pretreatment of devazepide significantly increased the volume of pancreaticobiliary juice. The amylase activity was significantly increased by acute TS treatment, but this increase was inhibited by devazepide pretreatment. In animals with two weeks administration of TS and PTS, the volume of pancreaticobiliary juice was not increased as compared to the control group. However, the volume of pancreaticobiliary juice was significantly increased by devazepide treatment. The amylase activity was significantly increased by two weeks administration TS and PTS respectively. This increase was inhibited by devazepide treatment. Our findings suggest that ginseng saponins, especially panaxatriol, increase the amylase activity in pancreaticobiliary juice, and this is, in part, caused by release of endogenous cholecystokinin.