As compared with normal cells

cancer cells or malignant cells were morphologically abnormal: their contact inhibition and normal growth order were lost

the DNA content and ploid increased and such kind of cells were transplantable. If the malignancy should be decreased or the malignant cells reversed

the above abnormal changes could be reduced or disappear. BALB/c mice bearing ascites liver cancer were used

Chinese herbal prescription combined with copper and ferrum (CHPCCF) was given by gavage for 10 days

and then some cell-biological parameters were measured; further

the ascites cancer cells (control and treatment) were removed and retransplanted to another mice and observed. The results showed that in CHPCCF treatment group

DNA content of the cancer cells was decreased

and the proliferation index was reduced (control: 83.4 ± 2.6

CHPCCF group: 78.8 ± 1.5; or control: 67.2 ± 1.3

CHPCCF group: 64.2 ± 1.6

P<0.02)

the number of the cancer cells in Gl phase increased obviously

but

those of S+G2M phases decreased (P<0.05~0.01); on the DNA histogram

the diploid peak became higher and bigger

but aneuploid or multiploid peaks became smaller. Furthermore

retransplanted experiments showed that in 2/10 animals

the tumors did not grow

and in other 8/10 animals

the tumors grew

but the tumors’ size were smaller than that of the control; the growth inhibition rate was 71. 7% - 88. 3%; and tumors’ grew slowly; the growth curve of the tumors in CHPCCF group was considerably lower than that of the control; the survival period of retransplanted animals was prolonged significantly (from 26.1 ± 11.8 to 38.1 ± 9.6

or to 39.6 ± 7.2 days

P<0.01); the increase in life span was 46% and 52% respectively. The results suggested that CHPCCF could reduce the malignancy of mice liver cancer cells.