OBJECTIVE： To investigate the improvement effects of Qishenlian eczema cream on the atopic dermatitis （AD） model guinea pigs， and to investigate its possible mechanism. METHODS： Female guinea pigs were randomly divided into normal control group， model control group， matrix control group （Qishenlian eczema cream matrix， 1 g/kg）， Qishenlian eczema cream low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups （0.5， 1， 2 g/kg） and Hydrocortisone butyrate cream group （0.5 g/kg）， with 10 guinea pigs in each group. Using ovalbumin as antigen， the skin allergy of guinea pigs was stimulated to induce AD model. Forty-eight hours after the last excitation， guinea pigs were smeared with normal saline in normal control group and model control group， while those were smeared with Qishenlian eczema cream matrix in matrix control group， and administration groups were treated with relevant medicine， twice a day， for consecutive 14 d. The scores of erythema， edema and scratch before and after administration were recorded in each group. The morphological characteristics of skin were observed by HE staining. TUNEL method was used to detect the apoptosis of keratinocytes in skin tissue. The level of IFN-γ in skin lesions was detected by ELISA. RESULTS： Compared with normal control group， inflammatory cell infiltration， hyperkeratosis of epidermis and thickening of spinous layer were observed in skin tissue of guinea pigs in model control group and matrix control group； the scores of erythema， edema and scratch and their total score， the level of IFN-γ in skin tissue were increased significantly； the apoptosis number of keratinocytes was decreased significantly （P＜0.01）. Compared with model control group and matrix control group， above symptoms of medication groups were relieved to different extents； the scores of erythema， edema and scratch and their total score after medication in medication groups， the level of IFN-γ in skin tissue in Qishenlian eczema cream medium-dose and high-dose groups and Hydrocortisone butyrate cream group were decreased significantly， and above scores in medication groups were significantly lower than before medication （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the apoptosis number of keratinocytes was increased significantly in medication groups （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS： Qishenlian eczema cream has certain improvement effect on AD model guinea pigs， the mechanism of which may be associated with promoting the keratinocyte apoptosis， reducing the level of INF-γ in skin tissue.