The cytotoxic effect of silymarin and on three types of cancer cell lines 5-FU

Abstract

Background: Silymarin is a compound derived from milk thistle plant with antioxidant and antinflammatory properties and possibility in having anticancer effect.
Aim of study: To examine the cytotoxic effect of silymarin on three types of cancer cell lines in compares to 5-Flurouracil (5-FU).
Materials and methods: a study was performed on the three cancer
cell lines Rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cell line, Glioblastoma multiform primary culture. (AMGM) human cervical cancer cell line (Hela) and Rat Embryo Fibroblast (REF) as normal cell line. cell lines were measured at 24, 48, and 72-hour in a microtitration plate under complete sterile conditions. The Cells were grown in optimum condition at 37c° and 5% CO2. Different concentrations of both silymarin and 5-FU and their combination was used starting from (25 to 400) µg/ml of two fold dilution for each concentration were prepared and tested on each cell line, with three replicates for each concentration. MTT (3, 5-(Dimethylthioazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) method used to detect the cytotoxicity of each drug and their combination.
Results: The obtained results showed a potent cytotoxic and growth inhibitory effect of silymarin on cancer cell with no cytotoxic effect on normal cells in comparison to 5FU in vitro. The effect of combination of 5-FU with silymarin on cancer cell lines was showed synergistic effects in concerning to the cytotoxicity of both.
Conclusion: Silymarin showed a promising anticarcinogenic activity as well as increased the cytotoxic activity of 5-FU when combined with it. Silymarin is a safe and can be used as adjuvant in cancer therapy.