Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The anti-tumor activity of extract from cochinchina momordica seed (CMS) and its probable mechanism were investigated. METHODS: The growth-inhibitory effect of ethanol extract and water extract of Cochinchina Momordica Seed (CMSEE and CMSWE) on A549, MDA-MB-231, TE-13, B16 tumor cell lines and PBMC were examined by MTT assay. Morphological changes of tumor cells were analyzed by light microscope and Wight-Giemsa staining. The ratio of cell cycle and apoptosis rate were analyzed with Flow Cytometry (FCM). RESULTS: CMSEE could significantly inhibit the proliferation of tumor cell lines in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.01), but CMSWE had no such effect . Both CMSEE and CMSWE showed no obvious influence on growth of PBMC. After treatment with CMSEE, B16 cells showed apoptosis morphology and the apoptotic rate was increased as compared to control group, meanwhile the proportion of B16 cells in the G0/G1 phase was elevated significantly(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: CMSEE significantly inhibited tumor cell growth in vitro by arresting cell cycle and inducing apoptosis of tumor cells.

Key words: cochinchina momordica seed, anti-tumor, cell cycle, apoptosis