OBJECTIVE： To investigate inhibitory effects of matrine on the proliferation of human bladder cancer BIU-87 cells and its mechanism. METHODS： The cell viability was detected by MTT assay and inhibitory rate of cell proliferation was calculated after human bladder cancer BIU-87 cells were treated with 0 （negative control）， 0.5， 1.0， 2.0 and 4.0 mg/ml matrine for 24， 48 and 72 h， respectively. After treated with 0 （negative control）， 0.5， 1.0， 2.0 and 4.0 mg/ml matrine for 48 h， the cell cycle and apoptotic rate were detected by flow cytometry； the expression of Survivin， Caspase-3 and Caspase-7 protein were detected by Western blot assay. RESULTS： Compared with negative control， the proliferation of BIU-87 cells were significantly inhibited after incubated with 1.0-4.0 mg/ml matrine for 24， 48 and 72 h （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， and inhibitory rate of cell proliferation increased in concentration and time-dependant manner； after treated for 48 h， the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells and apoptotic rate increased， while the percentage of cells at S phase and G2/M phase were decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-7 protein increased， while the expression of survivin protein decreased after incubated with 0.5-4.0 mg/ml matrine for 48 h. CONCLUSIONS： Matrine can inhibit the proliferation of human bladder cancer BIU-87 cells， block the cell cycle and induce apoptosis； its mechanism may be related to the expression regulation of Survivin， Caspase-3 and Caspase-7.