Abstract: The research of triterpenoids on hypoglycemic and anti-diabetic activities have made great progress. Findings indicated that triterpenoids could reduce blood glucose via different mechanisms, including increasing insulin secretion, enhancing insulin sensitivity, promoting glucose uptake by activation of AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK), decreasing glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, and inhibiting protein tyrosine phosphates 1B(PTP1B), α-glycosidase, aldose reductase(AR)and dipeptidyl peptidase-4(DPP-4). This article reviews the hypoglycemic effects and mechanisms of triterpenoids, providing the reference for further research and development of triterpenoids.