OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of arecoline on proliferation and apoptosis of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and to ex-plore its possible mechanism. METHODS: Human breast cancer MCF-7 cells were treated with arecoline at the concentrations of 0,10,30,50, 100,300,500mumol/L, the cell proliferation were detected by MTT assay, cell apoptosis were analyzed by Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cy-tometry, the protein expression of Bax,Bcl-2 and P53 were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Low concentration(0,10,30, 50 mumol/L) arecoline had no effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of MCF-7. Ho...