Abstract: AIM: To observe the effect of total ginsenoside on synaptic transmission in the dentate gyrus. METHODS: Total ginsenoside 100，50 and 25 mg.kg^-1 ip， using electrophysiological technique to record the long-term potentiation (LTP) in both basic synaptic transmission and 200 Hz high-frequency stimulation (HFS) induced LTP of the dentate gyrus in anesthetized rats. RESULTS: Total ginsenoside dose-dependently enhanced the basic synaptic transmission 10 min after its administration. When t=130 min，the magnitude of population spike (PS) was 191%(100 mg.kg^-1)， 162%(50 mg.kg^-1) and 160％(25 mg.kg^-1). Thirty min after LTP induced by HFS the total ginsenoside (ip) dose-dependently enhanced the magnitude of LTP beginning from 40 min(100 mg.kg^-1)，70 min(50 mg.kg^-1) and 100 min(25 mg.kg^-1) after ip. CONCLUSION: Total ginsenoside dose-dependently enhanced the basic synaptic transmission and the magnitude of LTP induced by HFS of the dentate gyrus in anesthetized rats.