Objective To study the effects of Sini San and disassembled formulas of Shenghui Tang on synaptic plasticity.Methods SH-SY5Y was taken as nerve growth model for detecting the effects of Sini San and disassembled formulas of Shenghui Tang in different doses on the proliferation of nervous cells through determining cell viability by using CCK-8 method.PC12 cells were taken as nerve differentiation model for detecting the influences of Sini San and disassembled formulas of Shenghui Tang in different doses on the differentiation of nervous cells through cell morphology observation and determination of the length and differentiation rate of synapsis by using relative statistical analysis.Results Sini San had no significant effect on cell proliferation but had inhibitory effect on cell differentiation.Among disassembled formulas of Shenghui Tang,disassembled Shenghui Tang 4 [Shudi (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata) and Shanzhuyu (Fructus Corni)] had effects of promoting proliferation and inhibiting differentiation,disassembled Shenghui Tang 6 [Fushen (Poria cum Ligno Hospite) and Hongshen (Radix Ginseng Rubra)] had dual effects of promoting proliferation and differentiation,and disassembled Shenghui Tang 7 [Yuanzhi (Radix Polygalae),Shichangpu (Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii) and Baijiezi (Semen Sinapis Albae)] had effects of inhibiting proliferation and promoting differentiation.Conclusion Among traditional Chinese medicinal for improving learning and memory ability,those with the actions of soothing liver and regulating qi have effect of inhibiting synaptic plasticity,and those with the actions of dispelling phlegm and boosting intelligence,and actions of tonifying qi and fortifing spleen have the effect of promoting synaptic plasticity.