Abstract: The anti-tumour compound in Trapa manshurica Fler was separated and purified by using the silica gel column chromatography, with an eluting agent of petroleum ether-ethyl acetate-formic acid(volume ratio is 5∶4∶0.1, R_f=0.4). The structure of compound Ⅰ obtained was identified to be 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid dimmer by means of MS, IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR, and the preliminary study shows that it has a quite high activity for inhibiting the proliferation of hela cell induction apoptosis to anti-tumor mechanism by means of MTT[3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] reduction method, optical microscope, transmission electron microscope and flow cytometry.

Key words: Trapa manshurica Fler, 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)₂,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, Anti-tumour, Structural identification