The　Monascus　pigment,　rubropunctatin,　was　extracted　and　purified　from　red　mold　rice　(RMR),　and　its　cytatoxic　activities　against　human　cervical　carcinoma　HeLa　cells　were　studied　under　the　conditions　with　or　without　light　irradiation.　The　IC50　value　of　rubropunctatin　against　HeLa　cells　in　the　dark　was　93.71　+/-　1.96　mu　M　(24　h),　while　the　cytotoxic　activity　was　enhanced　more　than　3　times　(IC50　=　24.02　+/-　2.17　mu　M)　under　light　irradiation　(halogen　lamp,　500　W;　wavelength,　597-622　nm;　and　fluence　rate,　15　mW　cm(-2),　for　30　min).　However,　the　IC50　value　of　rubropunctatin　against　the　immortalized　human　cervical　epithelial　H8　cells　was　more　than　300　mu　M,　even　under　light　irradiation,　indicating　that　rubropunctatin　has　a　favorable　selectivity　index　(SI).　Treatment　of　HeLa　cells　with　rubropunctatin　in　the　dark　or　under　light　irradiation　resulted　in　a　dose-dependent　apoptosis,　as　validated　by　the　increase　in　the　percentage　of　cells　in　the　sub-G1　phase　and　phosphatidylserine　externalization;　and　the　inductive　effect　on　HeLa　cell　apoptosis　was　boosted　by　the　light　irradiation.　In　addition,　treatment　with　rubropunctatin　alone　or　under　light　irradiation　was　found　to　induce　apoptosis　in　HeLa　cells　via　the　mitochondrial　pathway,　including　loss　of　mitochondrial　membrane　potential,　activation　of　caspase-3,　caspase-8,　and　caspase-9,　and　increase　of　the　level　of　intracellular　reactive　oxygen　species　(ROS).　It　was　suggested　that　rubropunctatin　could　be　a　promising　natural　dual　anticancer　agent　for　photodynamic　therapy　and　chemotherapy.