Abstract: AIM: To investigate the effect of AstragalosideⅡ on the reversal of multidrug resistance in human hepatic cancer cells.METHODS: Susceptibility of chemotherapy drugs and relative reversal fold was evaluated by MTT. The mRNA level of MDR1 gene was detected by RT-PCR and the P-glycoprotein expression was detected by immunocytochemistry method. Intracellular Rhodamine123 accumulation was determined by flowcytometry.RESULTS: BEL-7402/FU cells showed resistance to three chemotherapy drugs 5-fluorouracil, Adriamycin and Mitomycin, their resistance index were 19.64, 1.98, 1.92. Astragaloside Ⅱ(0.04, 0.08 mg/mL) relative reversal fold were 1.49, 1.81 to 5-fluorouracil. Astragaloside Ⅱ(0.08 mg/mL, 0.16 mg/mL) could downregulate the expression of MDR1 mRNA and P-glycoprotein, increase the intracellular Rhodamine123 fluorescence.CONCLUSION: Astragaloside Ⅱ could reverse the drug resistance of Bel-7402/FU cells via regulating down the expression of MDR1 mRNA, inhibit the expression and function of P-glycoprotein.

Key words: Astragaloside Ⅱ, P-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance, hepatocellular carcinoma