Abstract: To investigate the effects of the Traditional Chinese medicine Zilongjin on the proliferation of human non-small cell lung cancer cells A549 and the downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF ) expression. Methods: A549 cells were cultured in a variety of Zilongjin and cisplatin concentrations. Cell viability was detected with a 3- ( 4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl ) 2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide ( MTT ) assay and VEGF content of the A549 cell supernate was detected by ELISA assay after 24, 48, and 72 hours of exposure. The VEGF mRNA was detected by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction ( RT-PCR ). Results: Zilongjin and cisplatin inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells and the cell activity declined with increasing drug concentrations ( FZilongjin film = 4996.216, PZilongjin film < 0.001; FCisplatin = 6834.121, PCisplatin < 0.001 ). In the same drug concentration, the cell survival rate decreased with increasing length of exposure ( FZilongjin film = 13.366, PZilongjin film < 0.001; FCisplatin = 1471.067, PCisplatin < 0.001 ). When the A549 cells were exposed to Zilongjin for 24 and 72 hours, the VEGF mRNA expression in the A549 cells decreased with increasing drug concentration ( F = 216.826, P < 0.001 ), in contrast, VEGF mRNA increased with the concentration in the 24 hour cisplatin treatment. VEGF transcription and translation were inhibited with increasing drug concentration when the A549 cells were treated simultaneously with Zilongjin and cisplatin ( F = 4.318, P  < 0.05 ). Conclusion: Zilongjin inhibits the proliferation of human non-small cell lung cancer cells A549 and downregulates VEGF expression in the cells, which reflects its multi-targeted anti-cancer effects. Cisplatin inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells by inhibiting the cell cycle although VEGF expression was not significantly inhibited at the transcriptional level.