Effects of matrine on the growth and proliferation of retinoblastoma cells

OBJECTIVE To study the effect of matrine on the apoptosis of retinoblastoma cells.METHODS Retinoblastoma cells were cultured in 0.4 mmol/L matrine for 12 hours,24 hours or 48 hours respectively,and the control group was cultured in equivalence of the standard the nutrient solution RPMI-1640 at concentrations of 10% fatal bovine serum substitute for matrine.The apoptosis rate was evaluated by flow cytometry.RESULTS Apoptotic cells were observed after 12 h,and then developed in a time-dependent manner after 48 hours.The difference was statistically significant compared with the control group(P0.05).Followed by 12 h of matrine treatment,the ratio of viable apoptotic cells to total ones was 89.20%,and then decreased to 78.97% and 76.12% by 24 h and 48 h respectively.CONDLUSIONS Matrine could inhibit the proliferation of retinoblastoma cells though induction of its apoptosis in time-dependent manner.