Abstract: Object To investigate the effect of Ginsenoside Rg3 on proliferation, adhesion, migration and apoptosis of human hepatoma cell lines and reveal its mechanism. Methods The human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2, QGY and non tumor cell line HEL cells were used. By using the MTT test, cell adhesion assay, Transwell and flow cytometry, the effect of Rg3 on hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation, adhesion, migration and apoptosis were observed. The expression of CD44 and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) protein were detected by Western blot after HepG2 and QGY cells exposed to Rg3. Results Rg3 could specifically inhibit the cell proliferation, adhesion capacity, migration of HepG2 and QGY cells and significantly induced the apoptosis (P<0.05). The expression of CD44 and VEGF protein were significantly down-regulated after Rg3 exposed to HepG2 and QGY hepatocarcinoma cells (P?0.05). Conclusion Rg3 inhibits cell proliferation, adhesion, migration of human hepatoma cell lines and significantly induce the cell apoptosis, and these effects are closely related with the expression inhibition of CD44 and VEGF protein.

Key words: Key Word: ginsenoside Rg3, human hepatoma cell line, cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, vascular endothelial growth factor.