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ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Curcuma wenyujin Y.H.(CW)，a variety to Curcumae Rhizoma, documented in China Pharmacopeia, has long been used as plant medicine for its traditional effect on promoting Qi, activating blood stagnation and expelling blood stasis. Nowadays, it is often used in clinic for extraordinary effect on liver diseases. It is worthy to note that CW processed with vinegar has been applied in clinic for 1500 years started in the northern and southern dynasties. In our previous research, both CW and vinegar processed CW (VCW) could reduce immune hepatic fibrosis to varying extent. AIM OF THE STUDY Liver fibrosis is a worldwide clinical issue. It is worth to develop multi-target, multicellular approach with high efficiency and low side effects for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis. The anti-hepatic fibrosis molecular mechanisms of CW and VCW need to be explored and elucidated. Furthermore, the study aimed to discuss the efficiency and mechanism differences of CW and VCW in hepatic fibrosis. METHODS AND RESULTS The TGF-β/Smad signaling involving TGF-β1, TGF-βRⅠ, TGF-βRⅡ and Smad2, Smad3, Smad7 in fibrosis is examined, which is a critical step towards the evaluation of anti-hepatibrosis agents. Meanwhile, the MMP/TIMP balance which is a potential therapy target by modulating extracellular matrixis is also examined. The parallel mechanism exploration of vinegar Curcuma wenyujin (VCW) is performed. Both CW and VCW inhibit the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells and induce apoptosis via blocking TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways. Additionally, the level of MMP-2/TIMP-1 regulated significantly, which suggest CW and VCW participate in the degradation process of extracellular matrix, and maintain the formation and production of extracellular matrix. CONCLUSION Raw and vinegar processed Curcuma wenyujin regulates hepatic fibrosis via bloking TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways and up-regulation of MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio. And the effect of VCR exhibited more significant than CR.