Objective To evaluate the inhibitory effect and antiangiogenetic effect of Lucid Ganoderma spore(LGS) on the growth of the human hepatocarcinoma HepG_2 xenograft in athymic nude mice.Methods The nude mice models of human hepatocarcinoma HepG_2 were established and randomly divided into a NS blank control group,a 5-FU positive treatment control group and a LGS treatment group.H-E staining,SP immunohistochemistry and quantitative pathologic image analysis system were used to investigate the microvessel density(MVD) and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in tumor tissue.Results The in vivo study revealed that LGS produced quite certain therapeutic effect on the growth of the hepatocarcinoma cell strain(dose:2 g/kg,inhibitory rate:57.0%,P<0.01).Morphologic study showed there were more necrosis and less degree of atypia,decreased MVD and VEGF expression in the LGS group,as compared with that in the blank control group.Conclusion LGS could inhibit the growth and angiogenesis of the transplanted tumor tissue of human hepatocarcinoma HepG_2 in nude mice.Its mechanisms may be related to the reduction of VEGF expression.