By 3H-TdR incorporation, dye exclusion and cell colony-forming tests, the capability of short-term in vitro growth of the epithelial cell line of human poorly differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (CNE-2Z) was assayed. At the same time, its response to 54 kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs and marine drugs was studied. The results showed that the 3H-TdR incorporation rate of cells was 1.8 +/- 0.02%, reproduction rate was 60.9 +/- 13.0% and colony-forming rate, 40.8 +/- 3.5%. As to the ratios of the three cell growth indexes and response to medicines, the Chinese medicinal herbs and marine drugs causing the reduction of colony-forming and cell survival ratios were predominant (64.8% and 40.7%). The results indicate that the majority of drugs possess the cytotoxic and inhibitory effect on cell reproduction to different degrees. The composite cell response to every kind of drug could be divided into 6 types: descending, ascending, peaked, valley-like, depressed and stable. The depressing type drugs might inhibit or arrest the cell growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and are worthy of further study.