Abstract: Objective To extract an active anti-tumor fraction from Glycyrrhiza (named GL-1)and to test anti-proliferation and pro-apoptosis of GL-1 on gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. Methods By using water filtering, acetone-extraction, methanol purification, we extracted GL-1 from Glycyrrhiza.3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to measure anti-proliferation of GL-1 on SGC-7901 cells.Acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) double staining assay and flow cytometry assay with annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (FITC/PI) were employed to observe morphological changes of SGC-7901 cells treated with GL-1 and to measure apoptosis rate of the cells. Results The results of MTT assay indicated that GL-1 had an obvious time- and dose-dependent anti-proliferative effect on SGC-7901 cells.The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of GL-1 on SGC-7901 cells in 12, 24, and 48 hours are 24.18 μg/mL, 20.03.μg/mL, and 15.60 μg/mL, respectively (P < 0.05 for all). Results of AO/EB double staining assay showed that GL-1 could induce apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells.Flow cytometry assay revealed that GL-1 had a time-dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells. Conclusion GL-1 has an anti-proliferative effect on SGC-7901cells and could induce apoptosis in SGC-7901 cells.