Sesaminol in sesame seed was postulated to have antitumor activity. The present study was performed to characterize the role of crude sesaminol extracted from sesame seed (Sesame Crude Sesaminol; SCS) on inhibiting the in vitro growth of human leukemia HL-60 cells. SCS inhibited the growth of human leukemia HL 60 cells in culture and macromolecular synthesis in a dose and time dependent manner. The cytostatic range of SCS concentration was found to be 60 to 100 $mu extrm{g}$/ml. SCS concentration greater than 200 $mu extrm{g}$/mlwere cytocidal to HL-60 cells. When SCS concentraction was 6 $mu extrm{g}$/mland 50 $mu extrm{g}$/ml the synthesis of HL-60 cells was inhibited by 35% for DNA, 6% for RNA and 5% for protein and 83% for DNA, 76% for RNA and 60% for protein. Of specific interest was the irreversible effect of SCS in inhibiting DNA synthesis of HL-60 cells. This was evidenced from the fact that, even after washed with PBS three times, preincubated HL-60 cells still showed the inhibited DNA synthesis.