It is found that protein and sodium dodecyl sulphonate (SDS) can enhance resonance light scattering (RLS) of curcumin (CU). Based on this phenomenon, a new quantitative method for protein in aqueous solution has been developed. In the BR (pH 3.5) buffer, the RLS intensity of CU-SDS system is greatly enhanced by protein. The enhanced RLS is proportional to the concentration of protein in the range of 0.00020-20.0 microgml(-1) for bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 0.00040-1.0 microgml(-1) for human serum albumin (HSA) and their detection limits are 0.16 and 0.041 ngml(-1), respectively. An actual sample is satisfactorily determined. In addition, the interaction mechanism between protein and CU-SDS is also studied by using multi-techniques such as RLS, absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence, zeta potential assay measurement.