The present study is designed to screen the effect of syringin, an active principle purified from the rhizome and root parts of Eleutherococcus senticosus (Araliaceae), on the plasma glucose and investigate the possible mechanisms. Plasma glucose decreased in a dose-dependent manner 60 min after intravenous injection of syringin into fasting Wistar rats. In parallel to the decrease of plasma glucose, increases of plasma insulin level as well as the plasma C-peptide was also observed in rats receiving same treatment. Both the plasma glucose lowering action and the raised plasma levels of insulin and C-peptide induced by syringin were also inhibited by 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperdine methiodide (4-DAMP), the antagonist of the muscarinic M3 receptors, but not affected by the ganglionic nicotinic antagonist, pentolinium or hexamethonium. Moreover, disruption of synaptic available acetylcholine (ACh) using an inhibitor of choline uptake, hemicholinium-3, or vesicular acetylcholine transport, vesamicol, abolished these actions of syringin. Also, physostigmine at concentration sufficient to inhibit acetylcholinesterase enhanced the actions of syringin. Mediation of ACh release from the nerve terminals to enhance insulin secretion by syringin can thus be considered. The results suggest that syringin has an ability to raise the release of ACh from nerve terminals, which in turn to stimulate muscarinic M3 receptors in pancreatic cells and augment the insulin release to result in plasma glucose lowering action.