Cancer-preventive effects of ethanol extract of elm tree root (EEE) were investigated. In the in vitro cytotoxicity assay, colon cancer cells were incubated with a chloroform fraction of EEE (CF-EEE). CF-EEE significantly inhibited the proliferation of cells and induced apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner. For the assessment of chemopreventive efficacy in vivo, male F344 rats were fed with EEE (0.5 or 1%) in diet for 8 weeks, and were subcutaneously injected with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) to induce colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF). EEE (0.5 and 1%) significantly decreased both the numbers of AC (1191.1/colon) and ACF (529.3/colon) induced by DMH. In addition, in the Western blot analysis on the colonic mucosa, administration of EEE triggered expression of caspase-3, a key factor of an apoptotic cascade. These results suggest that extract of elm tree root may have potential chemopreventive principles that lead to apoptosis of cancer cells, and thereby suppress colorectal carcinogenesis during the initiation stage.