Objective: To investigate the effects of shikimic acid from Illicium verum on controlling hepatoma carcinoma HepG-2 cell proliferation and expression of nucelar factor-κB(NF-κB)p65. Method: The growth inhibition rate of hepatoma carcinoma cell line HepG-2 was determined with MTT methods by different concentration of shikimic acid which effected the tumor cells for 24

48

72 h. The liver tumor cell morphology which was impacted by different concentration of shikimic acid was observed in the inverted microscope. Apoptotic cell were detected by immunofluorescence techniques with Hoechst33342 staining after different concentrations of shikimic acid affecting 48 h. The western blot technique was used to observe the effects of hepatoma carcinoma HepG-2 cells of expression of NF-κB(p65). Result: Growth inhibition of hepatoma carcinoma cell line HepG-2 treated with shikimic acid was worked out time dependence and dose dependence. By inverted microscope it could be found that among the group of cells treated with shikimic acid for 48 hour

with the increase of drug concentration

the morphology change of cell apoptosis became more and more obvious

and the number of tumor cells were less. It could be observed that with the increase of drug concentration

the number of apoptosis cells increased

and as the concentration of shikimic acid reached 1 g·L-1

more and more apoptosis body were found. NF-κB (p65) protein expression with the shikimic acid concentration decreased significantly. Conclusion: Shikimic acid can markedly control the growth of hepatoma carcinoma cell

Shikimic acid treated hepatoma carcinoma HepG-2 cells

that down-regulated the expression levels of NF-κB(p65) protein. The mechanism of apoptosis induced by hepatoma carcinoma HepG-2 cells may be related to down-regulate the expression levels of NF-κB(p65).