Objective:To study the anti-tumor effects of matrine on murine hepatocarcinoma cell line H 22 in vitro and in vivo .Methods:Cytotoxicity effect of matrine on cultured H 22 cells was determined by MTT assay in vitro .Apoptosis of cultured H 22 cells induced by matrine were determined with Annexiin V-FITC/PI affinity assay.Tumor-bearing BALB/C mice were used to observe the inhibitory effects of matrine on H 22 cells in vivo .The ultra micro-structured changes of H 22 cells were observed by transmission electron microscope in tumor-bearing BALB/C mice after treated with matrine.The expressions of Bcl-2 & Bax protein were detected by immunohistochemical technique and the staining densities of Bcl-2 & Bax protein were quantitated through computerized image processing.The data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA by means of SPSS 10.0.Results:Matrine could obviously inhibit the growth and induce the apoptosis of cultured H 22 cells.Matrine also had significant anti-tumor activity

on mice bearing H 22 hepatoma.The inhibitory rates were above 60.7% and 62.5% in higher and lower doses groups

respectively ( P <0.01).Electron microscopy indicated the apoptosis of tumor cells with marginal nuclei

chromatin condensation and nuclei fragmentation

and apoptotic bodies were observed.The expression of Bcl-2 protein was down-regulated while that of Bax protein was up-regulated in tumor tissue treated with matrine.( P <0.01).Conclusion:Matrine has marked inhibitory effects on mice H 22 hepatoma cells both in vitro and in vivo .It can increase the expression of protein Bax and decrease expression of Bcl-2 to induce apoptosis of H 22 cells.