In the present study, we investigated the effects of aqueous extract of the healthful decoction utilizing Phellinus linteus (HDPL) on the cell growth of human lung carcinoma tumor cell line A549. Exposure of A549 cells to HDPL resulted in growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner as measured by hemocytometer counts, fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometric analysis. This increase in apoptosis was associated with inhibition and/or degradation of apoptotic target proteins such as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), b-catenin and phospholipase C- 1 (PLC- 1) protein. HDPL treatment induced the down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression, an anti-apoptotic gene, however, the level of Bax. a pro-apoptotic gene, was increased by HDPL treatment. In addition, HDPL-induced apoptotis of A549 cells was connected with activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 protease in a dose-dependent manner, however, the levels of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins family were remained unchanged. Taken together, these results indicated that the anti-proliferative effects of HDPL were associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death through regulation of several major growth regulatory gene products such as Bcl-2 family expression and caspase protease activity, and HDPL may have therapeutic potential in human lung cancer.