RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study effects of matrine on JM cell strain.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Morphologic changes were observed under light microscope with Wright-Giemsa staining, fluorescence microscope with Hoechst 33,258 staining and electron microscope. Alteration of cell cycle of different dose treating groups at the fourth day and 0.8 mg.mL-1 treatment group at the first, second, third, fourth day was analyzed by Flow cytometry. DNA ladder was detected with gel electrophoresis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>From the third day after treatment of matrine, typical apoptosis features of cells were observed under light microscope and electron microscope in all test groups, and the features were more prominent with the time prolonging. At fourth day, flow cytometry analysis showed that there were sub-G1 peaks in all groups. From 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 to 0.8 g.L-1 treatment groups, the rate of apoptotic cells to total cells were 3.1%, 2. 5%, 13.3%, 40.4%, 48.6%, respectively, and what in the control group was 1.4%; the rate of S phase cells to total cells was 28.9%, 26.1%, 27.7%, 0.9%, 14.2%, what in the control group was 30.4%; the rate of G1 phase cells to total cells was 63. 2%, 67.5%, 68.1%, 75.2%, 83.6%, what in the control group was 41.8%; From the first, second, third to fourth day, the rate of apoptotic cells to total cells of 0.8 mg.mL-1 treatment group were 3.0%, 3.7%, 9.1%, 48.6%, respectively; the rate of S phase cells to total cells was 28.6%, 17.5%, 19.1%, 14.2%; the rate of G1 phase cells to total cells were 45.5%, 77.3%, 77.2%, 83.6%. Gel electrophoresis displayed "DNA ladder" in 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 g.L-1 groups, while 0.1 and 0.2 g.L-1 groups didn't show such result.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Matrine can repress DNA synthesis and arrest JM cell strain at G1 phase, sequentially inhibiting the proliferation of the cell. Besides, this alkaloid can induce the apoptosis of JM cells.</p>