Short circuit current (Isc) technique has been applied in the studies of transepithelial iontransport in various epithelia. Recently it has also been used in the modernization researches on tradition-al Chinese medicines. This reviewgives an overviewof the basic principle of the Isctechnique, the targetsof measurement, ion transport, ion channel, the general ways of Iscresearch design, the application of Isctechnology in the researches on traditional Chinese medicines.