Objective:To study effects of tanshinone ⅡA(TSⅡA) that was the active component of traditional Chinese medicine salvia miltiorrhiza to hypodermatic transplanted tumor micrangium growing in colorectal cancer nude mice. Method: Colorectal cancer models in nude mice bear human HCT-116 cells were established

and then were randomly divided into 5 groups: Model group (DMSO group)

TSⅡA low-dose group(0.5 mg·kg-1·d-1)

TSⅡA mid-dose group(1 mg·kg-1·d-1)

TSⅡA high-dose group(2 mg·kg-1·d-1)

5-Fu group(50 mg·kg-1·d-1

2 d). All group of nude mice were sacrificed at the last time treatment for 21 days

the size and weight of tumor were measured; the microvessel density(MVD) was tested by Immunohistochemistry; the vascular endothelia growth factor(VEGF) protein expression in mice serum was assayed by ELISA; the β-catenin expression was detected by Western blot. Result: The inhibition rate of tumor in each group were respectively 25.6%

46.7%

59.6% in low

mid

and high-dose TSⅡA. The MVD in low

mid

high-dose TSⅡA were respectively (60.8±7.0)

(47.5±6.7)

(31.3±4.2) and (20.5±4.1)

which was obviously decreased compared with model group (P<0.01). The VEGF in low

mid

high-dose TSⅡA was decreased as 0.94 folds

0.84 folds and 0.73 folds compared with model group (P<0.01). TSⅡA dose-dependently reduced the level of β-catenin in the total cell and nuclear proteins. Conclusion: TSⅡA could inhibited the growth of colon carcinoma implant tumor of nude mice and MVD

which may be due to decreasing β-catenin and VEGF expression.