Objective To investigate the immunomodulatory effects of Tetrastigma hypoglaucum Planch in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Sixty SD rats were ramdomly divided into normal control group, model control group,low-,middle-and high-dose Tetrastigma hypoglaucum Planch groups (50,100 and 200 mg.kg-1,respectively),and tripterygium glycosides tablet group. Except for normal control group,rheumatoid arthritis model was established by using bovine typeⅡcollagen in SD rats of the other groups. Organ index,plasma levels of IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-αand anti-CⅡin rat rheumatoid arthritis models were evaluated. Results The kidney index of the low-dose/middle-dose Tetrastigma hypoglaucum Planch groups were significantly different from that of the model control group (P<0.05). Significant difference was also found in the spleen index between the high-dose Tetrastigma hypoglaucum Planch group and the normal control group ( P<0.05) . The plasma levels of IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-αand anti-CⅡantibody were significantly higher in the model control group than in the normal control group. Meanwhile, the plasma IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α levels of the middle-dose/high-dose Tetrastigma hypoglaucum Planch groups were significantly lower than those of the model group ( P<0.01) . The levels of anti-CII antibody were significantly lower in the low-,middle-and high-dose Tetrastigma hypoglaucum Planch groups than in the model control group. Conclusion It is worthwhile to explore and develop Tetrastigma hypoglaucum Planch since it possesses immunomodulatory effects and may be applied in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.