Objective: To investigate the effect of artesunate on apoptosis and cell cycle of human colon cancer HCT-8 cells. Method: The experimental groups were negative control group

blank control group

10

20 and 30 μmol·L-1 artesunate-treated groups. transmission electron microscope (TEM) and flow cytometry(FCM) were used to analyze the apoptosis of the treated HCT-8 cells by artesunate. FCM was used to analyse cell cycle of the treated HCT-8 cells by artesunate. The levels of Bax and Bcl-2 involved in the different treated HCT-8 cells were detected by Western blot. Result: After treatment of artesunate

it had observed by TEM that the cell shape changed with cytomembrane shrink

karyopycnosis

nuclear fragmentation

and the formation of apoptotic bodies. The rates of apoptosis of 10

20

30 μmol·L-1 artesunate-treated groups were 17.1%±3.8%

29.5%±5.1%

41.4%±5.8%

which was significantly higher than the apoptosis rare of blank control group(5.1%±1.4%

P<0.05). In 20 μmol·L-1 artesunate-treated group

G0/G1 cell proportion was increased with the prolonged drug effects

and S and G2/M cell proportion was decreased. Bax protein expression levels of 10

20

30 μmol·L-1 artesunate-treated groups were 0.20±0.03

0.40±0.05

0.50±0.08

which was significantly higher than that in blank control group(0.06±0.02

P<0.05). The difference of Bcl-2 protein expression levels in the above-mentioned groups was not statistically significant. The protein expression ratio of Bcl-2/Bax showed downward trend. Conclusion: Artesunate can inhibit human colon cancer HCT-8 cell growth and induce apoptosis of HCT-8 cell lines by blocking cell cycle and regulating the expression of Bax genes.