Aim To investigate the effect of Jianpi Qutan Huayu Recipe on variations of signal transduction molecules [Ca 2+ ]i and protein kinase C (PKC) induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in atherosclersis (As). Methods Endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells were cultured in vitro, and the cells were treated with serum-containing-medicine (5%, 10% and 20%) and ox-LDL (100 mg/L). The variations of [Ca 2+ ]i were detected by flow cytometry. The activation of member PKC of smooth muscle cells were determined by liquid scintillaton spectrometer. Results The results revealed that [Ca 2+ ]i of endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells were increasing induced by ox-LDL. It also showed that the activation of member PKC of smooth muscle cells was higer in ox-LDL group than in control group. Jianpi Qutan Huayu Recipe could inhibit these changes significantly, and the effect of 20% concentration was most obviously. Conclusions The results indicated that Jianpi Qutan Huayu Recipe may inhibit the apoptosis of endothelial cells and the proliferation of smooth muscle cells by regulatin signal transduction molecules Ca 2+ and PKC, and it can retard the processes of As.