Praecoxin A, an ellagitannin, purified from Alnus hirsuta var.microphlla was evaluated on the antitumor activity. Praecoxin A had the significant cytotoxicity to s ix tumor cell lines: human chronic myelogenous leukemia K-562, human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60, mouse leukemia P388, mouse lymphocytic leukemia L-1210, sarcoma-l8O, mouse lymphoma L5178Y except L-1210. And the most sensitive cell line was K-562 ($ED_{50}=2.43{mu}g/ml$). The $ED_{50} of praecoxin A against HL-60, P388, L-1210, sarcoma7l8O and L5178Y were 6.28, 8.66, 10.00, 7.01, $9.32{mu}g/ml$, respectively. Praecoxin A showed the increasing effect in life span by 36.8% on the 1st day after treatment of 10mg/kg in mice bearing sarcoma-180 tumor cells (ascitic form) via NCI (National Cancer Institute, U.S.A.) protocol in vivo assay. As a result, praecoxin A is considered to show the antitumor activity.