The invention discloses a method for distinguishing honeysuckle from wild honeysuckle flowers. The method comprises steps as follows: the wild honeysuckle flowers or a preparation containing a wild honeysuckle flower raw material is taken as a contrast; an acute oral cavity inflammation model is built; the honeysuckle and the wild honeysuckle flowers or compound preparations of the honeysuckle and the wild honeysuckle flowers are distinguished by comparing influences of a test sample and a contrast standard substance on expression levels of inflammation factors TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 in cells of the acute oral cavity inflammation model. With the adoption of the method, honeysuckle medicines and wild honeysuckle flower medicines can be distinguished, and besides, use conditions of the honeysuckle and the wild honeysuckle flowers in a compound prescription preparation can be identified. The technique of the method is stable, the distinguishing standard is directly related with medicine efficacy, and the method has great significance in instruction of clinical medication.