Interaction of Ganoderma Triterpenes with Docetaxel and Cisplatin in Cytotoxicity against Human Carcinoma Cells

ABSTRACTAIMGanoderma triterpenes (GTS) are the main components with cytotoxicity in Ganoderma lucidum, a popularly used traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for complementary cancer therapy. The present study was designed to investigate the possible interaction between Ganoderma triterpenes and chemotherapeutics.METHODSCultures of human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells and human non-small lung carcinoma A549 cells were used. The cytotoxic effects of GTS in combination with docetaxel (TXT) or cisplatin (CDDP) on cells were examined and the combination effects were analyzed by the Chou and Talalay combination index method.RESULTSThe combinations targeting GTS with TXT resulted in a synergistic interaction in HeLa cells and an additive interaction in A549 cells. While, in both HeLa and A549 cells, the interactions between GTS and CDDP depended on the relative potency of their cytotoxicity. The interaction was antagonism when the cytotoxicity of GTS or CDDP was stronger than that of the other and was synergism when the cytotoxicity of the two medicines was similar.CONCLUSIONGTS could enhance the cytotoxicity of some kinds of chemotherapeutics but not all chemotherapeutics against human carcinoma cells.