AIM: To study the anti-hepatocarcinoma effects of 5fluorouracil (5-Fu) encapsulated by galactosylceramide liposomes (5-Fu-GCL)in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: Tumor-bearing animal model and HepA cell line were respectively adopted to evaluate the anti-tumor effects of 5-Fu-GCL in vivo and in vitro. Tumor cell growth inhibition effects of 5-Fu-GCL in vitro were assessed bycell viability assay and MTT assay. In vivo experiment, the inhibitory effects on tumor growth were evaluated by tumor inhibition rate and animal survival days. High performance liquid chromatography was used to detect the concentration-time course of 5-Fu-GCL in intracellular fluidin vitro and the distribution of 5-Fu-GCL in liver tumor tissues in vivo. Apoptosis and cell cycle of tumor cells were demonstrated by flow cytometry.RESULTS: In vitro experiment, 5-Fu-GCL (6.25-100 μmol/L) and free 5-Fu significantly inhibited HepA cell growth. Furthermore, IC50 of 5-Fu-GCL (34.5 μmol/L) was lower than that of free 5-Fu (51.2 μrnol/L). In vivo experiment, 5-Fu-GCL (20, 40, 80 mg/kg) significantly suppressed the tumor growth in HepA bearing mice model. Compared with free 5-Fu, the area under curve of 5-Fu-GCL in intracellular fluid increased 2.6 times. Similarly, the distribution of 5-Fu-GCL in liver tumor tissues was significantly higher than that of free 5-Fu. After being treated with 5-Fu-GCL, the apoptotic rate and the proportion of HepA cells in the S phase increased, while the proportion in the G0/G1 and G2/M phases decreased. CONCLUSION: 5-Fu-GCL appears to have anti-hepatocarcinoma effects and its drug action is better than free 5-Fu. Its mechanism is partly related to increased drug concentrations in intracellular fluid and liver tumor tissues, enhanced tumor cell apoptotic rate and arrest of cell cycle in S phase.