Colorimetric analysis is used to investigate the effect of matrine (a Sophora flavescens alkaloid) concentration on the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and vascular endothelial cells (VECs) with a flow chamber system under various physiological shear flow rates. After treatment with matrine at concentrations of 0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/ml for 24 hours, the inhibition rates of VSMC proliferation are 0%, 23.62% ( ± 0.44), 49.37% ( ± 0.71), 75.43% ( ± 0.68), and 83.81% ( ± 1.09), respectively, and those of VEC proliferation are 0%, 7.50% ( ± 1.88), 17.47% ( ± 2.50), 26.59% ( ± 5.90), and 34.44% ( ± 0.76), respectively. Statistical analysis indicates that matrine inhibits the proliferation of VSMCs and VECs in a concentration-dependent manner. Matrine in concentrations of 0.625 mg/ml to 5.0 mg/ml can significantly inhibit the migration of VSMCs and VECs under physiological shear flow (P < 0.05).