Objective To evaluate the effect and safety of Yinzhihuang injection for icteric viral hepatitis. Methods We searched MEDLINE (1966 to 2005), The Cochrane Library (Issue1, 2005), CBMdisk (1978 to 2004), CMCC (1994 to 2005), CMAC (1994 to 2005), CNKI (1994 to 2005), VIP (1989 to 2004). Data were extracted by two reviewers using a designed extraction form. The quality of included trials was critically assessed. RevMan 4.2.7 was used for data analysis. Results Four randomized controlled trials were included. It showed that Yinzhihuang injection could abate jaundice better than or the same as controlled western medicine in patients with hepatitis (WMD 19.70, 95%CI 32.69 to 6.71 and WMD 1.27, 95%CI 3.08 to 0.54, respectively), but less than S-adeanosyl methionine in patients with chronic hepatitis (WMD 106.00, 95%CI 189.05 to 22.95). There may be a dose-effect relationship in Yinzhihuang injection, higher doses had better effect (WMD 11.50, 95%CI 16.53 to 6.47). No fatal side effects were reported.Conclusions It is noted that Yinzhihuang injection can abate jaundice of icteric viral hepatitis. Due to low statistical power and high risk of selection bias, performance bias and measurement bias of the included trials, these conclusions need to be treated cautiously.