AIM:To investigate the in vivo anti-tumor effects of totalpolysaccharide(AP-0)isolated from Angelica sinensis(Oliv.)Diels(Danggui)on mice and the in vitro inhibitory effects ofAP-0 and its sub-constituents(AP-1,AP-2 and AP-3)oninvasion and metastasis of human hepatocellularcarcinoma.METHODS:Three kinds of murine tumor models in vivo,sarcoma 180(S180),leukemia L1210 and Ehrlich asciticcancer(EAC)were employed to investigate the anti-tumoreffects of AP-0.For each kind of tumor model,threeexperimental groups were respectively given AP-0 at dosesof 30,100 and 300 mg/kg by ip once a day for 10 days.Positive control groups were respectively given Cy at a doseof 30 mg/kg for S180 and leukemia L1210,and 5-FU at adose of 20 mg/kg for EAC.On d 11,mice bearing $180were sacrificed and the masses of tumors,spleens andthymus were weighed.The average living days of micebearing EAC and of mice bearing L1210 were observed,and the rates of life prolongation of each treatment werecalculated,respectively.The inhibitory effects of APs onhepatoma invasion and metastasis in vitro wereinvestigated by employing human hepatocellularcarcinoma cell line(HHCC)with the Matrigel invasionchamber,adhesion to extracelluler matrix and chemotaticmigration tests,respectively.RESULTS:AP-0 had no obviously inhibitory effect on thegrowth of S180,but it could significantly decrease the thymusweights of the mice bearing S180.AP-0 could significantlyreduce the production of ascitic liquids and prolong the lifeof mice bearing EAC.AP-0 could also increase the survivaltime of mice bearing L1210.AP-0 and AP-2 had significantlyinhibitory effects on the invasion of HHCC into the Matrigel reconstituted basement membrane with the inhibitory ratesof 56.4 % and 68.3 %,respectively.AP-0,AP-1,AP-2 andAP-3 could influence the adhesion of HHCC to extracellularmatrix proteins(Matrigel and fibronectin)at differentdegrees,among them only AP-3 had significant blockingeffect on the adhesion of HHCC to fibronectin with aninhibitory rate of 30.3 %.AP-0,AP-1 and AP-3 could partiallyinhibit the chemotactic migration abilities of HHCC.CONCLUSION:The experimental findings suggest that totalpolysaccharide of Angelica sinensis(Oliv.)Diels(ChineseDanggui)possesses anti-tumor effects on experimentaltumor models in vivo and inhibitory effects on invasion andmetastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. AIM: To investigate the in vivo anti-tumor effects of total polysaccharide (AP-0) isolated from Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (Danggui) on mice and the in vitro inhibitory effects of AP-0 and its sub-constituents (AP-1 ,AP-2 and AP-3)oninvasion and metastasis of human hepatocellularcarcinoma.METHODS:Three kinds of murine tumor models in vivo,sarcoma 180(S180),leukemia L1210 and Ehrlich asciticcancer(EAC)were employed to investigate the anti-tumoreffects of AP-0.For each kind of tumor model,threeexperimental groups were respectively given AP-0 at doses of 30,100 and 300 mg/kg by ip once a day for 10 days.Positive control groups were administered giving Cy at a dose of 30 mg/kg For S180 and leukemia L1210, and 5-FU at adose of 20 mg/kg for EAC.On d 11,mice bearing $180we sacrificed and the masses of tumors,spleens andthymus were weighed.The average living days of micebearing EAC and of mice Bearing L1210 were observed, and the rates of life prolongation of each treatment werecalculated,respectively. The inhibitory effects of APs onhepatoma invasion and metastasis in vitro wereinvestigated by employing human hepatocellularcarcinoma cell line(HHCC)with the Matrigel invasionchamber, adhesion to extracelluler matrix and chemotaticmigration tests,respectively.RESULTS:AP-0 had no obviously inhibitory effect on the growth of S180 ,but it could significantly decrease the thymusweights of the mice bearing S180.AP-0 could significantlyreduce the production of ascitic liquids and prolong the lifeof mice bearing EAC.AP-0 could also increase the survival time of mice bearing L1210.AP-0 and AP -2 had significant inhibition effects on the invasion of HHCC into the Matrigel reconstituted basement membrane with the inhibitory ratesof 56.4 % and 68.3 %,respectively.AP-0,AP-1,AP-2 and AP-3 could influence the adhesion of HHCC to extracellularmatrix Proteins(Matrigel and fibronectin) at differentdegrees,among them only AP-3 had significant blockingeffect on the adhesion of HHCC to fibronectin with aninhibItory rate of 30.3 %.AP-0,AP-1 and AP-3 could partially suppress the chemotactic migration abilities of HHCC.CONCLUSION:The experimental findings suggest that totalpolysaccharide of Angelica sinensis(Oliv.) Diels(Chinese Danggui)possesses anti-tumor effects On experimentaltumor models in vivo and inhibitory effects on invasion andmetastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro.