<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The present study is designed to find out if sesquiterpenes, α-humulene (HUM), valencene (VAL), β-caryphyllene-oxide (CAO) and <italic>trans</italic>-nerolidol (NER), are able to improve the antiproliferative effect of classical cytostatic drugs, 5-fluorouracil (FU) and oxaliplatin (1,2-diaminocyclohexaneoxalato-platinum, OxPt), in colon cancer cell lines Caco-2 and SW-620. In addition, the possible mechanisms of sesquiterpene action are studied. The results show significant ability of HUM and especially of CAO to enhance the anti-proliferative effects of FU and OxPt in cancer cell lines Caco-2 and SW-620. On the other hand, VAL and NER are ineffective. The action of CAO could be partly based on its ability to disrupt the mitochondrial membrane potential and to activate initiator caspases, but other mechanisms are probably also involved. Based on these results, CAO seems to have the potential for combination therapy of colon cancers and deserves further study.</p></abstract>

The present study is designed to find out if sesquiterpenes, α-humulene (HUM), valencene (VAL), β-caryphyllene-oxide (CAO) and trans-nerolidol (NER), are able to improve the antiproliferative effect of classical cytostatic drugs, 5-fluorouracil (FU) and oxaliplatin (1,2-diaminocyclohexaneoxalato-platinum, OxPt), in colon cancer cell lines Caco-2 and SW-620. In addition, the possible mechanisms of sesquiterpene action are studied. The results show significant ability of HUM and especially of CAO to enhance the anti-proliferative effects of FU and OxPt in cancer cell lines Caco-2 and SW-620. On the other hand, VAL and NER are ineffective. The action of CAO could be partly based on its ability to disrupt the mitochondrial membrane potential and to activate initiator caspases, but other mechanisms are probably also involved. Based on these results, CAO seems to have the potential for combination therapy of colon cancers and deserves further study.

Sesquiterpenes α-humulene and β-caryophyllene oxide enhance the efficacy of 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin in colon cancer cells

Department of Medical Biology and Genetics

Acta Pharmaceutica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The present study is designed to find out if sesquiterpenes, α-humulene (HUM), valencene (VAL), β-caryphyllene-oxide (CAO) and trans-nerolidol (NER), are able...

Sesquiterpenes α-humulene and β-caryophyllene oxide enhance the efficacy of 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin in colon cancer cells

Published Online: Dec 07, 2018

Page range: 121 - 128

Accepted: Jul 17, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acph-2019-0003

Keywords
terpenes, Caco-2, SW-620, combination therapy

© 2019 Martin Ambrož et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Sesquiterpenes α-humulene and β-caryophyllene oxide enhance the efficacy of 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin in colon cancer cells

Published Online: Dec 07, 2018

Page range: 121 - 128

Accepted: Jul 17, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acph-2019-0003

Keywordsterpenes, Caco-2, SW-620, combination therapy

© 2019 Martin Ambrož et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
terpenes, Caco-2, SW-620, combination therapy