To evaluate the effect, side-effect and prospect of hepatic arterial perfusion embolization (HAPE) with Zedoary turmeric oil (ZTO) in treating primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC).Methods: Clinical study was carried out by administration of 1-3 ml ZTO through arterial catheter to induce embolism in 32 patients of PHC, and compared with 32 patients treated by hepatic arterial perfusion embolization with chemical agents (HAPE-C) in the control group. The Chinese herbal medicine was given orally to both groups according to Syndrome Differentiation of TCM. In the experimental study, transplantation hepatic carcinoma model was established in 40 rats. They were randomly divided into the treated group and the control group, 20 in each group, and were perfused with 10 mg/kg ZTO and 0.2-0.3 ml normal saline respectively to observe the effect of treatment.Results: The effect of treatment in the ZTO group was CR in 1 case and PR in 13 cases, the total effective rate being 43.75%, with AFP negative reversed in 7 cases, titer decreased in 7; while in the control group it was PR in 10 cases, the total effective rate being 31.25%, AFP negative reversed in 5, titer decreased in 2, and the difference of therapeutic effect between the two groups was insignificant (P>0.05). The post-perfusion thrombotic syndrome occurrence, with the symptoms of fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, etc. in the two groups was similar, but no bone marrow inhibition occurred in the ZTO group, which was different from the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The mean survival time, median survival time, 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year survival rate in the ZTO group was 13.84 months, 10 months, 37.5%, 18.87%, 9.70% and 6.4% respectively, and in the control group, 8.03 months, 6 months, 15.6%, 6.27%, 0% and 0% respectively, the mean survival time, median survival time and 1-year survival rate in the ZTO group were significantly superior to those in the control group (P<0.05). Experimental study showed that the effect in the treated group was better than that in the control group in tumor growth inhibition with the tumor growth rate as 10.8±4.5%% vs 20.6±12.7%, P<0.05, tumor necrosis degree (P<0.01) and survival time prolonged (14.8±3.4 days vs 11.7±1.9 days, P<0.05).Conclusion: HAPE-ZTO in treating PHC showed the therapeutic effect similar to that of HAPE-C, but superior to the latter in survival time prolongation and bone marrow inhibition.