Combinations of platinums and selected phytochemicals as a means of overcoming resistance in ovarian cancer.

Cancer sufferers are often found to use herbal products along with targeted therapy although not much information (whether beneficial or harmful) is available about the effects of such combinations. In this study, we investigated synergism from the combination of platinum drugs and a number of tumour-active phytochemicals including curcumin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, thymoquinone, genistein, resveratrol, betulinic acid and ursolic acid in three human ovarian cancer cell lines A2780, A2780(cisR) and A2780(ZD0473R), as a function of concentration and the sequence of administration. Both the dose-effect curves and combination indices show that the binary combinations of platinum drugs with the phytochemicals exert concentration- and sequence-dependent synergism in the cell lines.

Epigallocatechin gallate acts synergistically in combination with cisplatin and designed trans-palladiums in ovarian cancer cells.

In this study, synergism in activity from the sequenced combinations of three trans-palladiums (denoted as TH5, TH6 and TH7) with green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), as well as that with cisplatin, was investigated in a number of human ovarian tumour models as a function of sequence of administration. Cellular accumulation of platinum and palladium, and the levels of platinum-DNA and palladium-DNA binding were also determined for the 0/4 h and 0/0 h sequences of administration. The results of the study show that co-administration of cisplatin with EGCG (0/0 h) produces weak synergism in both cisplatin-sensitive (A2780) and cisplatin-resistant (A2780(cisR)) cell lines whereas (0/4 h) administration produces pronounced synergism in both.

Synthesis and cytotoxicity of three trans-palladium complexes containing planaramine ligands in human ovarian tumor models.

The present study deals with the synthesis, characterization, and activity against human ovarian cancer cell lines A2780, A2780(cisR), A2780(ZD0473R), and SKOV-3 of three trans-planaramine-palladium(II) complexes of the form trans-PdL(2)Cl(2), coded as EH1, EH3, and EH4, for which L = 2-methylpyridine, imidazole, and 1,2-α-imidazopyridine, respectively. The cellular accumulation of palladium, palladium-DNA binding levels, and the nature of interactions of the compounds with salmon sperm and pBR322 plasmid DNA were also determined. All three compounds were found to be less active than cisplatin, but unlike cisplatin they were found to be equally or more active against the resistant cell lines A2780(cisR) and A2780(ZD0473R) than against the parent cell line A2780.