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Leukemia threatens millions of people's health and lives, and the pesticide-induced leukemia has been increasingly concerned because of the etiologic exposure. In this paper, cytotoxic effect of emamectin benzoate (EMB), an excellent natural-product insecticide, was evaluated through monitoring cell viability, cell apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) in leukemia K562 and Molt-4 cells. Following the exposure to EMB, cell viability was decreased and positive apoptosis of K562 and Molt-4 cells was increased in a concentration- and time- dependent fashion. In the treatment of 10 μM EMB, apoptotic cells accounted for 93.0% to K562 cells and 98.9% to Molt-4 cells based on the control, meanwhile, 63.47% of K562 cells and 81.15% of Molt-4 cells exhibited late apoptotic and necrotic features with damaged cytoplasmic membrane. 48 h exposure to 10 μM EMB increased significantly the great number of cells with mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss, and the elevation of [Ca 2+ ] i level was peaked and persisted within 70 s in K562 cells whilst 50 s in Molt-4 cells. Moreover, a stronger cytotoxicity of EMB was further observed than that of imatinib. The results authenticate the efficacious effect of EMB as a potential anti-leukemia agent and an inconsistency with regard to insecticide-induced leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]