Objective: To evaluate the effects of curcumol on LoVo cells-planted xenogaft tumors in nude mice with colorectal cancer(CRC) and to investigate the possible mechanism. Method: Human CRC LoVo cells were implanted in BALB/c nude mice

then

tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into five groups:blank group

model group

curcumol low dose group

middle dose group and high dose group (20

40

80 mg·kg-1

respectively). The drugs were administered by intragastric injection (21 days)

then the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) and cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) in these tumor tissues were determined by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Result: Compared with the model group

curcumol high dose group

middle dose group and low dose group significantly inhibited the tumor volume

tumor weight

and expressions of VEGF and COX-2 in a dose-dependent manner. The anti-tumor rate was 25.73%

42.08%

66.88% respectively in curcumol low dose group

middle dose group and high dose group. There was statistical difference in expression of VEGF between model group and all curcumol groups (P<0.05). There was statistically significant difference in COX-2 expression between model group and curcumol middle and high dose groups (P<0.05). Moreover

VEGF and COX-2 expressions were positively correlated with each other (r=0.874

P<0.01). Conclusion: Curcumol significantly inhibited tumor growth in CRC implanted mice

probably associated with down-regulating expressions of VEGF and COX-2

and may have a role in treating human colorectal cancer by the signal pathways of COX-2/PGE2/VEGF.