Ecdysterone modulates antitumor activity of cytostatics and biosynthesis of macromolecules in tumor-bearing animals

Abstract

The influence of therapeutic and half doses of cisplatin and adriamicin combination with the anabolic drug ecdisteron (20-hydroecdison) on development of subcutaneously and intraperitonially transplanted P388 and L1210 leukemia and metastasizing B16 melanoma was studied. Ecdisteron significantly stimulated the chemotherapeutic effect of low doses of the cytostatics: inhibition of tumor growth, mice survival rate, their lifespan, and the antimetastatic activity index were comparable or better than after therapy with high doses of the antitumor drugs. The influence of high and low doses of cisplatin and its low dose in combination with ecdisteron on the dynamics of protein and DNA biosynthesis in the liver, pancreas, thymus, spleen, and adrenals of tumor-bearing mice were also studied. Although the therapeutic effect of 4 mg/kg cisplatin by activated protein biosynthesis and DNA repair is comparable or better than that of its low dose (2 mg/kg) in combination with ecdisteron, in terms of chemotherapy the combination looks preferable since the therapeutic dose of cisplatin is toxic for the intact tissues.