Objective: To investigate the effect of Safflower injection on gene transcription and protein expression of B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2(Bcl-2) and Survivin in HepG-2 cell so as to explore its mechanism of inducing apoptosis in human hepatma cell line HepG-2. Method: HepG-2 cells were treated in vitro with different concentrations(0

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250 g·L-1) of Safflower injection. Inhibiting effect of cell proliferation was measured by methylthiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell apoptosis rates were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM).Quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blot methods were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of apoptosis related factors Bcl-2 and Survivin. Result: The results indicated that Safflower injection could inhibit the proliferation of HepG-2 cells in a dose and time dependent manner(P<0.01).As the concentration of Safflower injection increased

the apoptosis rates of the cells were increased. Both the mRNA and protein expressions of Bcl-2 and survivin were down-regulated. Conclusion: Safflower injection could inhibit the proliferation and induce cell apoptosis of human hepatoma cell line HepG-2.The down-regulating expressions of Bcl-2 and Survivin on both mRNA and protein levels maybe one of the main mechanisms for Safflower injection inducing apoptosis of HepG-2 cells.