The DU145 cells were cultured and divided into control and 0.8，1.6，3.2，6.4，12.8，25.6，and 51.2 μmol·L^－1 nobiletin groups. MTT method was used to detect the proliferation activities of human prostate cancer DU145 cells in various groups； cell scratch test was used to analyze the cell migration abilities of human prostate cancer DU145 cells in various groups；Transwell test was used to analyze the invasion abilities of human prostate cancer DU145 cells in various groups；flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptotic rates of human prostate cancer DU145 cells in various groups. The expression levels of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase （p-JNK）， phosphorylated P38 mitogen activated protease （p-P38）， and phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinase （p-ERK） proteins in human prostate cancer DU145 cells in various groups were analyzed by Western blotting method.

Compared with control group， the proliferation activities of human prostate cancer DU145 cells in 25.6 μmol·L^－1 nobiletin group after treated for 24， 48， and 72 h were significantly decreased（P<0.01）； nobiletin inhibited the growth of DU145 cells in time- and concentration-dependent manners. Compared with control group， after treated for 48 h，the scratch healing rate and the number of invasion cells of human prostate cancer DU145 cells in 12.8 μmol·L^－1 nobiletin group were significantly decreased（P<0.01）， and the expression level of p-ERK protein was decreased （P<0.01）； the expression level of p-ERK protein in human prostate cancer DU145 cells in 25.6 μmol·L^－1 nobiletin group was decreased（P<0.01），the apoptotic rate was significantly increased（P<0.01）， and the expression levels of p-JNK and p-P38 proteins were increased（P<0.01）.

Nobiletin has the inhibitory effect on the growth of human prostate cancer DU145 cells and it can promote the apoptosis and inhibit the cell proliferation，migration and invasion. The changes of MAPK related protein expressions may be one of the mechanisms of the inhibitory effect of nobiletin on the growth of human prostate cancer DU145 cells.