The effects of the ethanol and aqueous extracts from the rhizome of Dioscorea membranacea Pierre (D. membranacea) on inflammatory response using carrageenin-induced paw edema in rats, were examined. Antinociceptive activity using writhing, hot plate and formalin test in mice and the antipyretic activity in yeast-induced fever in rats, were also examined. Oral administration of the ethanol extract at the dose of 1600 mg/kg significantly decreased the paw edema induced by carrageenin in rats. The aqueous extract (1600 mg/kg) also significantly suppressed the carrageenin-induced paw edema in rats. The ethanol extract had no significant effects on antinociceptive response in writhing, formalin and hot plate tests and antipyretic activities in yeast-induced fever in rats. No significant effects on writhing test and yeast-induced fever were observed after oral administration of the aqueous extract in experimental animals. These results suggest that the ethanol and aqueous extracts of D. membranacea rhizome possess anti-inflammatory action but no analgesic or antipyretic actions and their anti-inflammatory action may act at some site(s) of action or inhibit of some inflammatory mediators, which is different from the action of aspirin.