Abstract: Chrysanthemun，a medicine and food homological plant，has various chemical compositions and pharmacological activities. It is found that β-elemene has been detected from chrysanthemum and shows good antineoplastic activities. This text concludes the discovery and application of β-elemene，and makes a contrast among different chrysanthemum species and cultivars，and summarizes anticancer prospect of β-elemene for laying the foundation of research and exploitation of essential oil of chrysanthemum.

Key words: chrysanthemum, β-elemene, anti-cancer