[Objective] The research aimed to study the effects of copper ion as an elicitor on the camptothecin biosynthesis with cell suspension cultures of Campototheca acuminata Decaisne. [Method] Different final concentrations of copper ion were added to suspension culture of C. acuminata in different cell growth phases in order to stimulate camptothecin biosynthesis. [Result] When the Cu(superscript 2+) elicitor was supplemented at 0.5 μmol/L of final concentration in C. acuminata cell suspension culture on the 8th day, maximum cell dry weight was achieved, and when the elicitor at 40.0 μmol/L of final concentration was supplemented on the 18th day, maximum camptothecin production was achieved. When 0.5 μmol/L Cu(superscript 2+) of final concentration was supplemented on the 8th day and 40.0 μmol/L Cu(superscript 2+) of final concentration was supplemented afterward on the 18th day into C. acuminata cell suspension cultures, maximum camptothecin production was achieved, reaching 71.9 mg/L on day 24, which was 7.9-folds of the control. [Conclusion] Cu(superscript 2+) elicitation could markedly enhanced camptothecin biosynthesis with cell suspension cultures of C. acuminata.