American ginseng and breast cancer therapeutic agents synergistically inhibit MCF-7 breast cancer cell growth.
OBJECTIVE
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) purportedly alleviates menopause symptoms because of putative estrogenicity.


METHODS
Using a standardized American ginseng (AG) extract in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, the objectives were to evaluate the ability of AG to induce the estrogen- regulated gene pS2 by Northern blot analysis, determine the effect on cell growth using the MTT assay, and evaluate the cell cycle effects by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
AG and estradiol equivalently induced RNA expression of pS2. AG, in contrast to estradiol, caused a dose-dependent decrease in cell proliferation (P < 0.005). AG had no adverse effect on the cell cycle while estradiol significantly increased the proliferative phase (percent S-phase) and decreased the resting phase (G(0)-G(1) phase) (P < 0.005). Concurrent use of AG and breast cancer therapeutic agents resulted in a significant (P < 0.005) suppression of cell growth for most drugs evaluated.


CONCLUSIONS
In vitro use of AG and breast cancer therapeutics synergistically inhibited cancer cell growth.
Duda
R B
RB
Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. rduda@bidmc.harvard.edu
Zhong
Y
Y
Navas
V
V
Li
M Z
MZ
Toy
B R
BR
Alavarez
J G
JG
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology; D005894:Panax; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D013629:Tamoxifen; D017239:Paclitaxel