Objective: The aim of this study was to study the impact of total alkaloids of Corydalis saxicola on human lung cancer A549 cell proliferation and apoptosis and to explore its possible mechanism. Method: The logarithmic growth phase of A549 cells were cultured in vitro and incubated with C. saxicola Banting. MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of A549 cells after the treatment of Corydalis saxicola at different concentrations (0.1

0.05

0.01

0.005 g·L-1)for different time (24

48

72 h). Hoechst stain was applied to analyze the apoptosis effects. Flow cytometry were used to anlyze cell apotosis. The mRNA expression changes of Caspase-3 and Survivin after treatments were detected by RT-PCR. Result: C. saxicola could inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells in dose-time manner. After 48 h

inhibition of C. saxicola group in A549 cells was stronger than the control group (P <0.05).Flow cytometry showed that the apoptotic rate increased with the concentration increased (P <0.05). RT-PCR results suggested that compared with the control group

C. saxicola group up-regulated the expression of Caspase-3 mRNA and down-regulated the expression of Survivin mRNA (P <0.05). Conclusion: C. saxicola can inhibit proliferation and induce the apoposis of A549 cells in a time-and dose-dependent manner. The mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of Caspase-3 expression and down-regulation of Survivin expression.