Influence of As2O3 combined with ginsenosides Rg3 on inhibition of lung cancer NCI-H1299 cells and on subsistence of nude mice bearing hepatoma

Objective: To study the effect of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) combined with ginsenosides Rg3 on inhibiting the NCI-H1299 lung cancer cells and subsistence in nude mice bearing hepatoma. Methods: Am method was used to measure the inhibition effect of As2O3, combined Rg3 on NCI-H1299 cells, and the proliferation inhibiting effect was observed via establishing the transplanted tumor model in vitro. A total of 40 tumor bearing nude mice were randomly divided into normal saline group As2O3 Rg3 and As2O3+Rg3 group. Transplantation tumor model of lung cancer in nude mice was constructed, followed by injection of certain concentrations of normal saline. As2O3, ginseng saponin Rg3 and As2O3+Rg3 every day. The survival duration and the tumors size of the mice were recorded and the Kaplan-Meier curve was made; microscopic observation of apoptosis of tumor cells in vivo was done using TUNEL staining. Results: After 72 h of injection, inhibition rate of tumor cell in normal saline group, Asp, group, Rg3 group and As2O3+Rg3 group was (5.66 +/- 0.31)%, (65.58 +/- 4.75)%, (44.69 +/- 3.32)% and (82.67 +/- 5.43)%, respectively. Inhibition rate of tumor cell in As2O3, group, Rg3 group and As2O3+Rg3 group was significantly higher than that of normal saline group (P<0.01); inhibition rate of tumor cells of As2O3+Rg3 group was significantly higher than that of the two groups given As2O3 or Rg3 alone (P<0.01). The tumor volume of As2O3 group, Rg3 group and As2O3-Rg3 group shrank to (65.38 +/- 3.25)%, (77.68 +/- 3.43)% and (42.65 +/- 3.55)% of the original, tumor volume of saline group was 1.21 times of the original size (P<0.01); Median survival of saline group, Rg3 group, As2O3 g,roup were significantly shorter than that of As2O3+Rg3 group (P<0.01): co-ordinated intervention ability of As2O3+Rg3 on NCI-H1299 cell was significantly higher than that of As2O3 or Rg3, separately. Conclusions: As2O3 combined with Rg3 can significantly inhibit proliferation of NCI-H1299 cells in lung cancer, prolong survival of tumor bearing nude mice, and promote tumor cell apoptosis, and have significant effect on lung cancer treatment.