The aim of this study was to Investigate the effect of water. soluble macromolecular components of Artemisia capillaris Thunberg (ACT) on human hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721 (SMMC-7721). The morphological changes of SMMC-7721 were obsem'ed under a light microscope and an elec-tron microscope. Inhibition of proliferation was measured with a color；metric MTT assay, It was discovered that ACT extract-treated. cells exhibit morphological changes typical of apoptosis， including condensed ehromatin and a reduction In volume. ACT extract at 25-200 ug/ml dos-dependently inhibited the proliferation of SMMC-7721. The 50% effective dose, evaluated on day 3 of exposure to the extract. Was 64.52+3.53/ug/ml. Upon gel electrophoresis，the fragmented DNA showed a characteristic ladder pattern•CHI cycle analyses revealed that ACT induced cell cycle arrest at the GJG J phase.