Objective:To search for effective volatile oil of Chinese crude drug for killing demodex in vitro.Methods: The demodex mites were collected by adhesive cellophane tape technique.The killing effects of different volatile oils against Df and Db were observed by microscope.Normal saline and Xinfu Manling Ointment were used as negative and positive controls,respectively.Skin irritation tests for normal and wounded skin and acute toxicity test were carried out using rabbit skin.Results: The volatile oils of 6 Chinese crude drugs,including clore,orange fruit,manchurian wildginger,cinnamon bark,rhizoma alpinae,and pricklyash peel,were highly potent in killing Df and Db in vitro; and the volatile oil of clore and manchurian wildginger had a better killing effect against Df than Db(P<0.05).The scores for irritation to normal and wounded rabbit skin were 0.2 and 0.3,respectively,and acute toxicity test showed no obvious toxicity.Conclusion: The volatile oils of the 6 mentioned Chinese crude drugs have satisfactory anti-mite activities in vitro.The volatile oil of clore shows a remarkable activity against demodex in vitro,with good skin safety.