Tripterygium wilfordii (TW) was reported by LI Lei-shi, et al in 1981to have marked effect in reducing proteinuria when it was used to treat glomerular nephritis, and the conclusion they worked out has been now accepted by most of nephrologists in 20-year experimental studies and wide application in clinical practice. Its mechanism, adverse reaction and mutagenesis effects, and dosage in clinical application in the recent years are now briefly reviewed in this paper.