title: Synergistic effect of ginsenoside Rg3 with verapamil on the modulation of multidrug resistance in human acute myeloid leukemia cells.
abstract: The pharmacological modulatory effects of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (20S-Rg3) on multidrug resistant cancer cells are reported in the present study. The effects of 20(S)-Rg3 on the modulation of doxorubicin (DOX) and vincristine (VCR) resistance were examined in the HL60 multidrug resistant subline of human acute myeloid leukemia cells. Results demonstrated that 20S-Rg3 is as effective as verapamil (Vp) for modulating the high degree primary DOX resistance and low degree VCR cross-resistance expressed by the H160 cell line. Furthermore, the present study demonstrates for the first time, using isobologram analysis, that the combination of 20S-Rg3 and Vp enhances the reversal of DOX and VCR resistance in a supra-additive or at least an additive manner. These results indicate that 20S-Rg3 may be used as a Vp synergizer or as a promising alternative to Vp in the chemosensitization of multidrug resistant acute myeloid leukemia, with far fewer side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Oriental Medicine, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Su
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Oriental Medicine, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seong
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Rg3; acute myeloid leukemia; ginsenoside; multidrug resistance; verapamil