Objective To explore the potential mechanism of Jianpi Xiao’ ai Fang（Spleen-fortifying Cancerdissolving Decoction

健脾消癌方

JXF） in antagonizing the metastasis of colorectal cancer. Methods Sixty BALB/c-nu nude mice were randomized into a model group

a blank group and Chinese medicine low and high dose groups.The mice in each group were given HCT116 intramucosal injection into the cecum to establish a human colorectal cancer xenograft model except for those in the blank group. Chinese medicine low and high dose groups were respectively given JXF at the doses of 10 or 40 g/（kg·d） by gavage; the model group and the blank group were given 2 ml/100 g of normal saline by gavage. The interventions were all given once a day for 4 weeks. The expressions of Ecadherin

vimentin

and transforming growth factor-β（TGF-β） in the tumor tissue were detected by Western Blot;the liver

lung and lymphatic metastases of colon cancer in each group were compared. Results The liver

lung and lymphatic metastasis rates in Chinese medicine high and low dose groups were lower than those in the model group（P < 0. 05）. The rates of liver and lung metastasis in Chinese medicine high dose group were lower than those in the low dose group（P < 0. 05）. Compared with those in the blank group

the expression of E-cadherin significantly decreased

while the expressions of vimentin and TGF-β significantly increased in other groups（P < 0. 05 or P <0. 01）; compared with those in the model group

the expressions of E-cadherin significantly increased

while the expressions of vimentin and TGF-β significantly decreased in Chinese medicine high and low dose groups（P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. There was no significant difference in allthe indexes between the high and low dose groups（P >0. 05）. Conclusion JXF could up-regulate the expression of E-cadherin and down-regulate the expression of vimentin by TGF-β

and reverse the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human colorectal cancer xenograft model

which may be one of the mechanisms in the antagonism to colorectal cancer metastasis.