Objective: Extraction and isolation of betulinic acid from Marsdenia tenacissima and investigate the anti-tumor activity were investigated. Method : By using silica gel column chromatography

Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and semi-preparative reversed phase liquid chromatograph

extraction and isolation of betulinic acid

and MTT assay was applied in demonstrating effect on antitumor effect in four tumor cells with different concentrations and at different action time. Result: The growth of cervical cancer cells HeLa

gastric cancer cells MGC

breast cancer MCF-7 was significantly inhibited by betulinic acid with a manner of dose-dependence. After 48 h

the cell death rate of HeLa and MGC was 77.9%

81.7%

respectively. When the concentration of the sample was 500 mg·L-1

the cell death rate of MCF-7 was 74.1%

when the concentration of the sample was 100 mg·L-1

the effect on ducal carcinoma cells was not significant. Conclusion: Betulinic acid has an anti-tumor activity on HeLa

MGC

MCF-7.