Abstract: AIM: To investigate the influence on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle and cell invasiveness after human astrocytic glioma cell line SHG-44 were treated by baicalein with the valious concentrations. METHODS: Human astrocytic glioma cell line SHG-44 were cultured in vitro and treated in various concentrations of baicalein, then MTT method, flow cytometer (FCM) analysis, transwell assay and Western Blot were applied to measure cell growth, cell cycle and cell invasiveness. RESULTS: Bacalein treatment inhibited proliferation of SHG-44 cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. Baicalein treatment induced increasing apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the control, Baicalein caused a significant G₀/G₁ phase arrest (P<0.05) and a decrease in the percentage of cells in S-phase by approximately 18％ (P<0.05) in a dose-dependent manner. No significant change for G₂/M phase cells was observed. The result of Transwell assay exhibited that cell number through the artificial basal membrane was obviously less when compared with the control after 48 hours (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Bacalein treatment inhibited growth of SHG-44 cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. Baicalein can inhibit cell invasion and migration of human astrocytic glioma cell line SHG-44. Bacalein may be a useful therapeutic strategy for hum astrocytic glioma.

Key words: Baicalein, SHG-44 cell, Proliferation, Cell cycle, Invasiveness