Abstract: Objective To investigate the proliferation inbibition and apoptosis induction of the Pulsatilla saponin D on the human malignant glioma cell lines U87MG in vitro. Method The proliferation—inhibiting effect and apoptosis of the U87MG cells treated with the different concentrations of the Pulsatilla Saponin D for different times in vitro were detected by MTT assay and the flow cytometry respectively，and the cell apoptosis were examined by Hoshest 33342、the Fluorescence fiber mirror、TUNEL/PI、DNA-ladder，and the apoptotic pathways were analysed by the Western blot analysis. Result The proliferation inhibition of the U87MG by the Pulsatilla saponin D were 94.034%(n=6, p<0.05). The nuclear shape of the U87MG cells was changed after being treated with Pulsatilla saponin D, and stained by Hoechst 33342 in a time-and-dose dependent manner. The total protein was extracted from the U87MG cells and the expression of the caspase-3、8、Bax and Fas-L were showed to be increased, while the level of Bax expression reduced, and the level of Bcl-2 changed unobviously. Conclusion Pulsatilla saponin D can inhibit the proliferation of human malignant glioma cell lines U87MG at time-dose dependent manner and induce the apoptosis of U87MG cells through the Fas/Fas-L pathway.

Key words: Pulsatilla saponin D,proliferation inhibition, apoptosis, cell cycle