AIM:To explore the effect of Vaccinium vitis procyanidin on the growth of glioma cells .METH-ODS:Glioma C6 cells were cultured and divided into control and 10, 20 and 40μg/L Vaccinium vitis procyanidin groups . The influence of Vaccinium vitis procyanidin on the growth of C 6 cells was measured by MTT assay and the observation un-der inverted microscope .The apoptotic rate was detected by Annexin V/PI staining .The protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was determined by immunocytochemistry .The protein levels of Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3 were also examined by West-ern blotting .RESULTS:The growth of C6 glioma cells was inhibited by Vaccinium vitis procyanidin at concentrations of 10, 20 and 40 μg/L.The growth was significantly inhibited in 40 μg/L Vaccinium vitis procyanidin group at 24 h and 48 h, and in 20 and 40 μg/L Vaccinium vitis procyanidin groups at 72 h (P<0.01).The density of the cells was decreased when the concentration of Vaccinium vitis procyanidin increased .The apoptotic rate was increased when the concentration of Vaccinium vitis procyanidin increased either .The expression of Bcl-2 was decreased and Bax was increased after 10, 20 and 40 μg/L Vaccinium vitis procyanidin treatments .The ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was increased when the dose of Vaccinium vitis pro-cyanidin increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The expression of Bcl-2 was decreased (P<0.01), and Bax and caspase-3 were increased after 10, 20 and 40 μg/L Vaccinium vitis procyanidin treatments .The ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was increased when the dose of Vaccinium vitis procyanidin increased (P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Vaccinium vitis procyanidin inhibits the growth of glioma cells by down-regulating Bcl-2 protein and up-regulating Bax protein to activate caspase-3, thus indu-cing apoptosis .