In order to investigate and compare the effects of Tetradium ruticarpum and Glycyrrhizae extracts in terms of scavenging sodium nitrite and inhibiting N-ni- troso compounds formation, the 1_9（3^3） orthogonal test was conducted to extract the active components. In addition, the capacities of scavenging sodium nitrite and of in- hibiting the N-nitroso compounds formation were measured to confirm the optimum condition of extracting. When the scavenging rate was considered as the main index, the maximum capacities of scavenging sodium nitrite by the extracts of Tetradi- urn ruticarpum and Glycyrrhizae were 0.836 5 and 0.558 0, respectively. Further- more, when the disconnection rate was considered as the main index, the maximum capacities of inhibiting the N-nitroso compounds formation by the extracts of Tetradi- urn ruticarpum and G/ycyrrhizae were 0.922 8 and 0.625 6, respectively. As a re- suit, the capacity of inhibiting nitrosation reaction by Tetradium ruticarpum was shown to be much stronger than G/ycyrrhizae, no matter the scavenging rate or the disconnection rate as the main index to be considered.
