Oridonin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of ESCC cells. The effects of oridonin on cell cycle phase (A) or apoptosis (B) were assessed in ESCC cells. Cells were treated with 0, 5, 10 or 20 μM oridonin and then incubated for 48 h for cell cycle analysis or 72 h for the annexin-V staining (i.e., apoptosis) assay. The asterisks (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001) indicate a significant difference between untreated control and oridonin-treated cells. Data are shown as means ± S.D. of values from triplicate samples and similar results were obtained from 3 independent experiments. The effects of oridonin on the expression of biomarkers associated with cell cycle (C) and apoptosis (D) are shown. Cells were treated with 0, 5, 10 or 20 μM oridonin and incubated 48 h for examination of cyclin B1 or 72 h for cleaved PARP, caspase-3, and caspase-7, and Bax, Bims (short form of Bim) and Bcl-2.