To study the intestinal absorption and absorption site of stachyose, one of the oligosaccharides extracted from Rehmannia, in mice and rats.Plasma concentration of stachyose was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with postcolumn fluorescence derivatization after administration of stachyose to mice by oral or intravenous injection. The absorption of stachyose in different sections of digestive tract was evaluated using the intestine loop in situ technique. The kanamycin treated mice were used to study the metabolism of stachyose in intestine.Absorption of stachyose in intestine after oral administration was quick but low, the bioavailability being 3.82%. The absorption rate in stomach, duodenum, jejunum and ileum was 6.03%, 13.80%, 8.33% and 0.53% respectively, no absorption was tested in large intestine. The residual rate of stachyose in the intestine of normal mice and kanamycin treated mice was 8.6% and 93.4% respectively.The intestinal absorption rate of stachyose is low, the main absorption site is the upper portion of small intestine. The unabsorbed stachyose is metabolized by the intestinal microflora.