Objective To investigate the effect of curcumin(Cur)on proliferation and apoptosis of human esophageal carcinoma drug-resistant cells Eca-109/VCR in vitro and in vivo. Methods The inhibitory effect of Cur on Eca-109/VCR was detected by CCK-8 method. The apoptosis rate of Eca-109/VCR cells after treatment with Cur was determined by flow cytometry. Eca-109/VCR xenografts were established in nude mice and inhibitory effect of Cur on xenografts was observed. HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes. Apoptosis was detect-ed by TUNEL. ELISA was used to measure Caspase-3,Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 expression in nude mice serum. Results Cur significantly inhibited the proliferation of Eca-109/VCR in a time and concentration-dependent man-ner and it could induce apoptosis of Eca-109/VCR. Cur significantly inhibited the growth of xenografts and a large number of necrosis existed in Cur group. Cur induced apoptosis in xenografts and the expression of Caspase-3,Cas-pase-8 and Caspase-9 in serum increased with the increase of Cur concentrations. Conclusion Cur could inhibit the growth of esophageal carcinoma xenografts in vitro and in vivo and its role might be up-regulating the expression of Caspase-3,Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 and associated with the apoptosis induction of drug-resistant esophageal carcinoma cells.