The invention relates to a medicinal composition for treating severe hepatitis which comprises the active constituents of oriental wormwood 30g, cape jasmine 20g, yellow-corktree bark 20g, baikal skullcap root 15g, oriental water plantain rhizome 20g, radix paeoniae rubrathe 50g, root of red rooted saliva 30g, curcuma aromatica 20g, root of herbaceous peony 30g, fruit of barbary wolf berry 15g, prepared rhizome of rehmannia 30g, schisandra fruit 15g, cornus officinalis 10g, creeping euphorbia 30g, Chinese dates 15g, licorice root 5g and notoginseng powder 3g.