Abstract: Objective : To investigate the inhibition of the expression of c-myc gene of human glioma U251 cell line and the mechanism of effect on cellular apoptosis by the elemene. Methods : We studied on the two groups: the normal controls and the treatment groups with elemene in human glioma U251, then examined the inhibition test by MTT methods and worked out the IC50, watched the morphological alterations by inverted microscope and electron microscope, evaluated the apoptosis by flow cytometry analysis, agarose gel electrophoresis and light microscopy, and examined the expression of c-myc protein and gene by immunohistochemical method and RT-PCR. Results : Our studies showed that elemene had a markedly antineoplastic activity on glioma U251 cell line with the dependence of dose and time, IC50 was 0.062 mg/ml. After administration of elemene the cellular morphology became small under inverted microscopy and found apoptotic cell and bodies under electron microscope.The flow cytometry analysis showed that elemene inhibited the cell cycle transference from phaseS to phase T2/M and induced the apoptosis. The apoptosis in glioma cells was confirmed by DNA ladder formation on gel electrophoresis. Our studies showed that elemene inhibited the expression of c-myc protein and gene by immunohistochemical method and RT-PCR. Conclusion : Elemene inhibits the expression of c-myc gene, induce apoptosis and has a marked antiproliferative effect on glioma cells.