APOPTOSIS INDUCER

An apoptosis inducer containing baicalin or baicalein as the active ingredient and utilizable as carcinostatic agent, antiviral agent, and so forth. It can be used advantageously as a new type of safe carcinostatic or anticancer drug, because it induces apoptosis programmed even in cancer cells and hence can kill cancer cells which are believed to be immortal. It is useful also in treating various diseases caused by viral infection, because it can induce apoptosis in various virally infected tissues or cells, which have been believed to be difficult to remove, to thereby permit easy removal of these tissues or cells.