Abstract: AIM: To examine the inhibition of chlorobenzyl-tetrahydroberberine (BTHB) on the H₂O₂-induced apoptosis and proliferation of endothelial cells(ECs) in the serum deprivation medium.METHODS: The DNA content and percentage of apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry;the DNA fragmentation was analyzed by agarose gel electrophorsis;the viability percentage of cells was measured using MTT assay.RESULTS: The apoptosis and proliferation of ECs occuredin serum-free medium (18 h) containing H₂O₂.When the ECs had been treated with BTHB, the percentage of ECs apoptosis and proliferation was markedly decreased, and the degraded fragments of DNA obviously decreased.BTHB (10-5, 10-6, 10-7, 10-8mol·L^-1) could partly protect cells from necrosis induced by H₂O₂.CONCLUSION: BTHB can prevent ECs from apoptosis, proliferation and necrosis induced by H₂O₂ in free-serum medium.

Key words: hydrogen peroxide, chlorobenzyl-tetrahydroberberine, thoracic aorta endothlial cell, apoptosis, proliferation, flow cytometry, agarose gel electrophoresis