Abstract: OBJECTIVE Reviewing gene cloning methods and strategies that can be used in medicinal plant secondary metabolism, to provide selection references. METHODS Searching and summarizing literatures on gene cloning of plants, especially of medicinal plants. RESULTS Gene cloning methods used in medicinal plant secondary metabolism, such as functional cloning method, phenotype cloning methods, transposon tagging and map-based cloning method were elaborated. CONCLUSION There are many methods used to clone genes in medicinal plant secondary metabolism, researchers should choose the suitable one with different basis, purposes and experiment condition.