title: Synergistic effects of matrine and 5-fluorouracil on tumor growth of the implanted gastric cancer in nude mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the inhibitive effects of matrine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on the growth of human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line SGC-7901 when transplanted into nude mice and to investigate the bone marrow toxicity of these compounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg matrine with 50 mg/kg 5-FU, and 50 mg/kg matrine only, 50 mg/kg 5-FU only were intraperitoneally injected to observe their inhibitive effects by calculating the relative tumor volume (RTV) and tumor inhibition rates (IR%) as shown by the number of nucleated cells and bone marrow cell colony culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tumor inhibitive effect of the combined 100 mg/kg matrine and 50 mg/kg 5-FU group was stronger than that of the combined 50 mg/kg matrine and 50 mg/kg 5-FU groups (P < 0.05), and were also much stronger than that of the control group (50 mg/kg matrine only, 50 mg/kg 5-FU only, P < 0.01). As for the bone marrow inhibition effect, there was no significant statistical difference between the combination group and 5-FU alone group. In the cultured bone marrow cell colony, exuberant growth was seen in the combination group, but not in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inhibitive effect of combined matrine and 5-FU on the growth of transplanted human gastric cancer in nude mice is superior to that of matrine or 5-FU alone. Combined matrine and 5-FU can increase the inhibitive effect on proliferative hemopoietic bone marrow cells in nude mice and does not affect the resting bone marrow stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai, China. humeijie@medmail.com.cn
authors.forename: Mei Jie
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Yun Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yong Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Min Min
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011807:Quinolizines; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000093842:Matrines
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D011807:Quinolizines; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000093842:Matrines