Growth inhibitory activities of a novel 22-homo-23-norcholestane glycoside found in bulbs of Ornithogalum saundersiae were examined in vitro using human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells, human T-lymphocytic leukemia MOLT-4 cells, and mitogen-stimulated human peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The growth of HL-60 cells and MOLT-4 cells was strongly suppressed in the presence of the glycoside; the IC 5 0 s of which were 21.0 and 18.0 nM, respectively. Suppressive effect of the glycoside on HL-60 cell growth appears to be mediated partially through induction of apoptosis which was demonstrated by the presence of DNA fragmentation of the leukemic cells. Flow cytometric analysis of glycoside-treated HL-60 cells also demonstrated apoptotic cells with low DNA content and showed a decrease of G0 cells and a concomitant increase of S and/or G2 cells. The growth inhibiting effect of the glycoside on HL-60 cells was promoted by calcium and was inhibited in the presence of zinc, which support involvement of endonuclease activation in the glycoside-induced apoptosis. The glycoside also inhibited mitogen-stimulated blastogenesis of PBMC, the IC 5 0 of which was 6.2 nM. These results provided the first evidence ever for the potent growth inhibitory activity of Ornithogalum glycoside on human leukemia cell lines and PBMC.