CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF HERBAL MEDICINE SHO-SAIKO-TO ON HUMAN LUNG-CANCERCELL-LINES IN-VITRO

The cytotoxic effect of a herbal medicine Shosaiko-to (TJ-9) was exami ned by the MTT assay on 7 human lung cancer cell lines (4 non-small ce ll carcinomas, 3 small cell carcinomas) and on 5 hepatocellular carcin oma cell lines. TJ-9 showed a dose-dependent cytotoxicity in all cell lines except one (SBC-5). Of the seven herbs in TJ-9, Scutellaria root showed the strongest cytotoxicity followed by the Glycyrrhiza root. A mong baicalin, baicalein and wogonin from the Scutellaria root, cytoto xicity was observed only with baicalin. The SBC-5 cell line which was resistant to TJ-9 showed a lesser sensitivity to both Scutellaria root and baicalin. TJ-9 showed almost equal cytotoxicity in cisplatin (CDD P)-sensitive PC-10 and CDDP-resistant SBC-4 cell lines, and in H69 and H69/CDDP cell lines. TJ-9, Scutellaria root and baicalin were all les s cytotoxic for human lymphocytes and bone marrow cells than for a lun g cancer cell line of SBC-4. These results suggest that TJ-9 and its c omponents may be useful anticancer agents for the treatment of lung ca ncer.