Objective: To investigate the growth effect on human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 by liquid extract of Pingfei prescription

a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula that has been used to treat lung cancer. Method: Liquid extract of Pingfei prescription (1 g· mL-1) was provided by pharmaceutical department in China-Japan friendship hospital. The liquid extract was filtrated through primary filtration by qualitative filter paper and second filtration by 0.22 μm microporous membrane before applied to experiments. A549 cells were recovered

cultured and subcultured. Cells in logarithmic growth phase were prepared for single cell suspension in the following experiments. Groups were blank control

liquid extract of Pingfei prescription 1

5

10 g· L-1 group. A549 cells were seeded in 96-well plates

7×104 per well

3 wells for replica. Drugs were then added 24 hours after except for the blank control group

which was replaced with fresh medium only. A549 growth was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8

Donjino

Japan) at 24

48

72 h after drugs being added. For apoptosis study

A549 cells were seeded in 6-well plates with 3×104 per well

3 for replica. Drugs were then added 5 hours after except for the blank control group

which was replaced with fresh medium only. Cells were harvested 17 hours after drugs added. Apoptosis was detected by analyzing plasma membrane translocation of phosphatidylserine (PS) (FITC Annexin V Apoptosis Detection Kit Ⅰ

BD Pharmingen)

using FACS. Each experiment was repeated at least 3 times. Statistic analysis for quantitative data is student t-test. Result: 5

10 g· L-1 groups presented inhibitive effect on A549 growth at 24

48

72 h time points(P<0.01). 10 g· L-1 group showed early and late apoptosis induction (P<0.01). Conclusion: Liquid extract of Pingfei prescription

a TCM formula

could suppress A549 growth in vitro in dose and time dependent manner. This inhibitory effect may be related to its apoptosis induction.