BACKGROUND Cisplatin (CDDP) is cytotoxic, inducing apoptosis in some tumoral cell lines in vitro. Since CDDP is an effective drug in vivo treatment of neuroblastoma, we tested this drug on the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. Materials and methods. The effect of CDDP on cultured SH-SY5Y cells was determined with trypan blue dye exclusion test, LDH activity and DNA electrophoresis. Cultures were observed by light and electron microscope. Flow cytometric analysis was also carried out. RESULTS CDDP inhibits the growth of neuroblastoma cells and reduces cell viability. Cell death occurs by apoptosis, as evidenced by morphological criteria and typical DNA laddering. Flow cytometry demonstrates that CDDP-treated cells are arrested in the G2/M phase before entering programmed cell death. CONCLUSIONS CDDP is thus effective on the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line, inducing apoptosis.