The Sellaginella Tarmariscina is widely used in the traditional oriental herbal medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects. The effects of aqueous extracts of Sellaginella Tarmariscina on the viability and induction of apoptotic cell death were investigated in HL-60 cells. The cell viability after treating with extract of Sellaginella Tarmariscina was quantified by MTT assay. The results showed that could inhibit the proliferation of HL-60 cells and caused a 40% inhibition of HL-60 cells at concentrations of 400 ㎍/ml. The cancericidic effect of Sellaginella Tarmariscina was mediated by apoptosis. Thus, HL-60 cells exposed to Sellaginella Tarmariscina displayed the DNA fragmentation ladder and nucleus chromatin condensation characteristic for apoptosis. In conclusion, our results suggest that the extract of Sellaginella Tarmariscina may induce the apoptotic death in HL-60 cells.