Abstract: To study the anti-tumor activities of chrysin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE).The normal cultured human breast cancer (MCF-7,MDA-MB-231),human cerrical cancer cells (HeLa),human lung carcinoma (A549) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with different concentrations of chrysin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (20,40,80,160 μM) for 24 and 48 h,respectively.The cell viability was measured by SRB method.Hoechst 33258 staining and acridine orange staining were used to observe apoptotic morphology and nuclear fragmentation,respectively.The cell migration was detected by scratch method.Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and mitochondria memberane potential were determined by utilizing a fluorescent probe,2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescin (DCHF) and JC-1,and the level of NF-κB p65 was tested by immunofluorescence.The results showed that chrysin and CAPE inhibited different tumor cells proliferation and migration,and upregulated ROS level and downregulated mitochondrial membrane potential and NF-κB p65 levels.Chrysin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester were potential anti-tumor agents.

Key words: chrysin, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, anti-tumor