OBJECTIVE: To study the preparation and in vitro dissolution of ethyl pepper solid dispersion. METHODS: Solvent-melting method was adopted. Using polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG-6000) as carrier, the effects of different drug-loading ratios (1 ∶ 1, 1 ∶ 5, 1 ∶ 7, 1 ∶ 10, 1 ∶ 15, 1 ∶ 18, 1 ∶ 20) on the dissolution of ethyl pepper solid dispersion was invesigated. The stability of crude drug ethyl pepper at 85 ℃ was determined. Furthermore, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction method were used to identify the existence of ethyl pepper in the solid dispersion. RESULTS: The dissolution of ethyl pepper could be improved by mixing ethyl pepper and PEG-6000 in a ratio of 1 ∶ 15, and the preparation was maintained stable at 85 ℃. The drugs part of ethyl pepper-PEG-6000 solid dispersions existed in the form of amorphous or molecular. CONCLUSIONS: The dissolution of ethyl pepper solid dispersion can be improved significantly by mixing ethyl pepper and PEG-6000 (1 ∶ 15), and the dispersion keeps stable at 85 ℃. The study can provide reference for further study of the preparation technology of ethyl pepper preparation.