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To evaluate the mediation of cell adhesion by Dendrostellera lessertii, an anti-cancer medicinal plant in Iranian folk medicine, the adhesion of thrombin activated human platelets to the cultured monocytes or HL-60 cells was investigated under the effect of the plant extract (0.4 mg/ml) and one of its purified components, 3-hydrgenkwadaphnin (0.2 nM). Treatment of the platelets with the plant extract or/3-hydrgenkwadaphnin, for various time intervals, followed by their activation by thrombin resulted in 80-90% reduction in the number of monocytes with more than 10 attached platelets. Similarly, under almost all identical conditions, the adhesion of the activated platelets to HL-60 cells was decreased by 90%. The adhesion of thrombin activated platelets to the plant extract treated HL-60 cells was also reduced significantly (95%). These data clearly indicates that Dendrostellera lessertii is capable of mediating tumor metastasis through affecting the adhesion properties of the cells., (Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.)