Anticancer activity of baicalein and luteolin studied in colorectal adenocarcinoma LoVo cells and in drug-resistant LoVo/Dx cells

In these studies anticancer activity of natural occurring flavones, baicalein and luteolin was investigated in colon cancer cells LoVo and in their drug resistant subline LoVo/Dx. Inhibitory activity of these flavones on cells growth and their ability to induce apoptosis were observed. A less pronounced influence of studied flavones on proliferation and apoptosis of LoVo/Dx as compared with LoVo cells well correlated with significantly lower cytotoxicity of these compounds in drug-resistant cells. These effects may be related to overexpression of multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein in drug-resistant LoVo/Dx cells. Our studies indicated that baicalein could be a substrate of this drug transporter.