Combined transarterial chemoembolization and arterial administration of Bletilla striata in treatment of liver tumor in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate and compare the effect of combined transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and arterial administration of Bletilla striata (a Chinese traditional medicine against liver tumor) versus TACE alone for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in ACI rats.


METHODS
Subcapsular implantation of a solid Morris hepatoma 3 924A (2 mm3) in the liver was carried out in 30 male ACI rats. Tumor volume (V1) was measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on day 13 after implantation. The following different agents of interventional treatment were injected after retrograde catheterization via gastroduodenal artery (on day 14), namely, (A) TACE (0.1 mg mitomycin + 0.1 ml Lipiodol) + Bletilla striata (1.0 mg) (n=10); (B) TACE + Bletilla striata (1.0 mg) + ligation of hepatic artery (n=10), (C) TACE alone (control group, n=10). Tumor volume (V2) was assessed by MRI (on day 13 after treatment) and the tumor growth ratio (V2/V1) was calculated.


RESULTS
The mean tumor volume before (V1) and after (V2) treatment was 0.0355 cm3 and 0.2248 cm3 in group A, 0.0374 cm3 and 0.0573 cm3 in group B, 0.0380 cm3 and 0.3674 cm3 in group C, respectively. The mean ratio (V2/V1) was 6.2791 in group A, 1.5324 in group B and 9.1382 in group C. Compared with the control group (group C), group B showed significant inhibition of tumor growth (P<0.01), while group A did not (P>0.05). None of the animals died during implantation or in the postoperative period.


CONCLUSIONS
Combination of TACE and arterial administration of Bletilla striata plus ligation of hepatic artery is more effective than TACE alone in the treatment of HCC in rats.
Qian
Jun
J
Department of Radiology, Xiehe Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Vossoughi
Daryusch
D
Woitaschek
Dirk
D
Oppermann
Elsie
E
Bechstein
Wolf O
WO
Li
Wei-Yong
WY
Feng
Gan-Sheng
GS
Vogl
Thomas
T
D000818:Animals; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D029595:Orchidaceae; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D011912:Rats, Inbred ACI