Our study indicated for the first time that NF-κB may also play an important role in angiogenesis inhibition by emodin in pancreatic cancer in vivo, and the enhanced effect of gemcitabine on pancreatic cancer may be achieved through emodin mediated downregulation of the expression of NF-κB and NF-κB-regulated proteins with roles in angiogenesis inhibition (i.e. VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-9 and eNOS). This evidence concerns the gene MMP2 and pancreatic neoplasm.