The influence of curcumin on the action of etoposide in a rat acute myeloid leukemia cell line.

BACKGROUND There are contradictory results from studies on the effect of curcumin, a plant phenolic compound with a well-established anticancer effect in vitro, on the action of etoposide in cancer cells. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of curcumin on the genotoxic and cytostatic action of etoposide in the LT12 cell line derived from BN rat acute myeloid leukemia cells. MATERIAL & METHODS The LT12 cells were treated with different doses of curcumin for 1-72 hours followed by application of etoposide. The amount of DNA damage was estimated via a comet assay. Viability, cell cycle and apoptosis were examined by using flow cytometry technique. RESULTS The combined effect of curcumin and etoposide on viability was synergistic at low micro- molar concentrations. In comparison to treatment with curcumin and etoposide alone, co-treatment with these compounds increased the extent of DNA damage, the percentage of cells arrested in the G2/M phase and the number of annexin-V-positive cells. CONCLUSIONS The interaction between etoposide and curcumin points to an enhanced antileukemic potential to be derived from the combination of these compounds.