Purpose: Liver cancer, one of the most common cancers in China, is reported to feature relatively high morbidity and mortality. Curcumin (Cum) is considered as a drug possessing anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation effect. Previous research has demonstrated antitumor effects in a series of cancers. Materials and Methods: In this study the in vitro cytotoxicity of Cum was measured by MTT assay and pro-apoptotic effects were assessed by DAPI staining and measurement of caspase-3 activity. In vivo anti-hepatoma efficacy of Cum was assessed with HepG2 xenografts. Results: It is found that Cum dose-dependently inhibited cell growth in HepG2 cells with activation of apoptosis. Moreover, Cum delayed the growth of liver cancer in a dose-dependent manner in nude mice. Conclusions: Cum might be a promising phytomedicine in cancer therapy and further efforts are needed to explore this therapeutic strategy.