Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: The inhibition effect of periplocin extracted from cortex periplocae (CPP) on proliferation of colorectal cancer cell line SW480 was studied in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The inhibitiory effects of different concentrations of CPP (0.125,0.25,0.5,1.0,2.0 μg/ml) on the growth of SW480 cells in vitro were measured by MTT assay. The cell morphology and microstructural changes of apoptosis were examined under light microscope and electron microscope after SW480 cells were treated with CPP(0.5 μg/ml) for 24 h. Survivin expression in SW480 cells was analyzed by immunohistochemistry after cells were treated with CPP (0.5 μg/ml) for 24 h. Model of transplanted tumor on nude mouse were used to study the anticancer effect in vivo. Control group was included in all experiments above. RESULTS: CPP significantly inhibited the proliferation of SW480 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner in vitro (P<0.01). After treatment with CPP, SW480 cells showed some typical morphologic features and microstructural changes of apoptosis. And the expression of Survivin in SW480 cells was suppressed. After treatment with CPP 30 mg/kg for SW480 cell tumor-bearing mice, the inhibition rate of transplanted tumor was significantly increased at 61.41％. Inflammatory cells and noticeable necrosis were found in transplanted tumor tissue of CPP treated group. CONCLUSION: CPP had significant inhibitory effect on colorectal cancer cell line SW480. The mechanism maybe associated with CPP inhibiting the expression of Survivin in SW480 cells and inducing cell apoptosis.

Key words: periplocin extracted from cortex periplocae, colorectal cancer, apoptosis, transplanted tumor