'Teng-Khia-U' is a folk medicine of Taiwan, derived from the entire plants of Elephantopus scaber L., E. mollis H.B.K. and Pseudoelephantopus spicatus (Juss.) Rohr. The hepatoprotective effects of water extracts of these three plants against beta-D-galactosamine (D-GalN)- and acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute hepatic damage were determined in rats. The results indicated that the serum glutamate-oxalate-transaminase (sGOT) and the serum glutamatepyruvate-transaminase (sGPT) levels caused by D-GalN and APAP decreased after treatment with crude extracts of 'Teng-Khia-U' (P < 0.005). The pathological changes of hepatic lesions, caused by D-GalN and APAP, improved following treatment with the drug extracts mentioned above.