The cytotoxic effects of a new compound, ethyl 2-[N-p-chlorobenzyl-(2'-methyl)] aniline-4-oxo-4,5-dihydrofuran-3-carboxylate (JOT01007) have been tested in mouse leukemia WEHI-3 cells. In this study, the mechanisms by which JOT01007 acts on a human cervical cancer cell line (Ca Ski) to bring about an increase in the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, reduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), increase in the levels of cytoplasmic Ca2+, activation of caspases and fragmentation of DNA, and apoptosis were investigated. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that JOT01007 induced a decrease of MMP in Ca Ski cells. JOT01007 induced an increase in the level of cytoplasmic Ca2+, which was inhibited by BAPTA (calcium chelator), and BAPTA accelerated the MMP reduction, and significantly blocked JOT01007-induced apoptosis. Western blotting demonstrated that JOT01007 induced an increase in the levels of p53, p2I, cytochrome-c, caspase-3 and Bax, but decreased the level of Bcl-2. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that JOT01007-induced apoptosis occurs via a mitochondria-dependent pathway closely related to the level of cytoplasmic Ca2+ in Ca Ski cells.