Objective: To observe the effect of total saponins in Aralia elata leaves (ETS) Toll-like receptor-4/nuclear factor-κB(TLR-4/NF-κB) signal pathway and inflammatory factors in xenografts from nude mice bearing human colon cancer cells

so as to explore the tumor suppression mechanism. Method: Human colon cancer HT-29 cell line was inoculated in the right armpit of 50 nude mice

so as to es tablelish an animal model of ectopic subcutaneous tumor of human colon cancer. Then the mice were randomly divided into 5 groups

with 10 in each group:model group

low-dose group (37.5 mg·kg-1)

medium-dose group (75 mg·kg-1)

high-dose group (150 mg·kg-1)

and positive control group (5-FU 20 mg·kg-1). Two days after grouping

the mice in positive control group were given ip once every two days; ETS was given to low

medium and high-dose groups

ig; model group was given equal volume of normal saline. The administration lasted for 8 weeks. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)was used to detect tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)

interleukin 1(IL-1); Real-time polymerase chain reaction(Real-time PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of gene of TLR-4 and NF-κB in tumor tissue. The effect of ETS on the morphology of HT-29 transplanted tumor of human colon cancer in nude mice were observed under optical and transmission electron microscopy. Result: Compared with model group

low

middle and high-dose ETS groups and positive control groups had different inhibitory effects on human colon cancer transplanted tumor in nude mice(P<0.01). The tumor suppressor rates were 20.14%

32.43%

59.56% and 63.58%

respectively. TLR-4

NF-κB significantly decreased the mRNA expressions of drug serum inflammatory factor and tumor tissues(P<0.05). Histopathology and ultramicro pathological experiments showed that the tumor tissue in each group had varying degrees of damage. Conclusion: ETS can inhibit the proliferation of tumor

and the mechanism may be associated with regulating TLR-4/NF-κB pathway and reducing inflammatory factors.