Abstract: In order to determine the apoptotic inductivity of botani cal components toSpodoptera litura cultured cell line SL-1, th e concentration and time dependence of apoptotic-induce ability of nine botanic a l components, including azadirachtin and comptothecin, to SL-1 was investigated by inverted phase contrast microscope. The results showed that a great deal of a poptotic bodies appeared, one of the typical morphological characteristics of ap optosis, 24-48 h after treatments with azadirachtin at a concentration of 0.1-5.0 μg/mL and comptothecin at 0.5-20.0 μmol/L; the same changes, however, di d not appear in SL-1 cells within the whole observation period of 72 h after tre atments with tea saponin, ricinine, sassafras, paeonolum, nicotine, matrine and macleay cordata at concentrations of 0.5-20 μg/mL. Treated by azadirachtin at a concentration of 0.75 μg/mL, the early, mid and late apoptotic stages apoptosis of SL-1 cells appeared during0-36 h, 36-60 h and 60 h af ter treatment, respectively; and treated by comptochetin at a concentration of 5.0 μmol/L, these appeared during 0-24 h, 24-52 h and 54 h after treament, re spectively. It is tentatively concluded that azadirachtin and camptothecin both possess the concentration\|time-dependence induction of apoptosis to SL-1 cel ls.

Key words: Apoptosis;botanical components, apoptotic bodies, azadirachtin;camptothecin, Spodopteralitura cultured cell line SL-1