RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects and the mechanisms on oxymatrine inhibiting proliferation of HepG2 cells.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>HepG2 cells were exposured to oxymatrine, final concentrations of which were 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.8, 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 15 g x L(-1) respectively, MTT method was used to determine the inhibiting effects of oxymatrine on HepG2 cells proliferation, followed by Haematoxylin and Eosin staining to observe the cell morphology. The expression of P53, Bcl-2 and Bax were further investigated by Immunohistochemical analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Oxymatrine below dosage of 1 g x L(-1) showed the little inhibition effect on the HepG2 cells proliferation and exhibited the significant inhibition effect from 1 to 8 g x L(-1) in both a time-and dose-dependent manner. Whereas the dosage was above 8 g x L(-1), oxymatrine didn't showed the time- and dose-dependent relationship. The results of immunohistochemical analysis indicated that the expression of Bax obviously increased and that of Bcl-2 and P53 decreased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Oxymatrine could notably inhibit the HepG2 cells proliferation probably via upregulating the expression of the Bax and downregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and P53.</p>