IN-VITRO COMBINED EFFECT OF A NEW SERIES OF COPPER-(II) COMPLEXES WITH CISPLATIN OR EPIRUBICIN ON HUMAN BREAST AND CERVICAL-CANCER CELL-LINES

The in vitro cytotoxic effects of some recently synthesized copper (ii ) complexes were investigated in combination with two clinically impor tant anticancer agents, cisplatin (CDDP) and epirubicin (EPR), on thre e human breast cancer cell lines (BT20, MCF7 and T47D), a human cervic al carcinoma cell line (HeLa) and two non-tumour cell lines (BHK-21 an d L929). The in vitro antiproliferative effects were measured by means of XTT assay and drug potency was expressed in terms of IC50 values. Synergistic effects were observed for EPR in combination with a Cu(II) malonate derivative in BT20, MCF7 and HeLa cells, Antagonistic effect s were apparent when CDDP combined with a pivalate derivative in HeLa cells. For other drug combinations, synergism, adjuvance or antagonism was demonstrable depending on the cell line applied or the varied adm inistration schedules. The results suggest that these novel complexes may enhance the cytotoxic activity of CDDP or EPR against human tumour cell lines when administered in combination with them.