Imperatorin (IM) and isoimperatorin (ISOIM) are major active components of common herbal medicines from Umbelliferae plants, and widely used in clinic. This article studies the inhibitory effect of IM and ISOIM on the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme, and assesses their potential drug-drug interaction. IM and ISOIM were incubated separately with human or rat liver microsomes for 30 min, with phenacetin, bupropion, tolbutamide, S-mephenytoin, dextromethorphan and midazolam as probe substrates. Metabolites of the CYP probe substrates were determined by LC-MS/MS, and IC50 values were calculated to assess the inhibitory effect of the two drugs on human CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4 enzymes, as well as on rat CYP1A2, 2B6, 2D2 and 3A1/2, and grade their inhibitory intensity. In human liver microsomes, IM and ISOIM showed different inhibitory effects on all of the six CYP isoenzymes. They were strong inhibitors for 1A2 and 2B6. The IC50 values were 0.05 and 0.20 micromol x L(-1) for 1A2, and 0.18 and 1.07 micromol x L(-1) for 2B6, respectively. They also showed moderate inhibitory effect on 2C19, and weak effect on 2C9, 2D6 and 3A4. In rat liver microsomes, IM and ISOIM were identified as moderate inhibitors for 1A2, with IC50 values of 1.95 and 2.98 micromol x L(-1). They were moderate and weak inhibitors for 2B6, with IC50 values of 6.22 and 21.71 micromol x L(-1), respectively. They also had weaker inhibitory effect on 2D2 and 3A1/2. The results indicated that IM and ISOIM had extensive inhibitory effects on human CYP enzymes. They are strong inhibitors of CYP1 A2 and 2B6 enzymes. However, it is worth noting the interaction arising from the inhibitory effect of CYP enzymes in clinic.