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Abdel-Hamid et al. Hepatoma Res 2017;3:149-55 Hepatoma Research
DOI: 10.20517/2394-5079.2016.50
www.hrjournal.net
Original Article Open Access

In vitro antitumor efficacy of Kochia indica

extract on human hepatocellular carcinoma

cell line with or without 5-fluorouracil

Nabil Mohie Abdel-Hamid , Ghada A. Tabl , Yousry E. El-Bolkiny , Walaa O. Zeina
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1
1 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt.
2 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 71561, Egypt.
Correspondence to: Prof. Nabil Mohie Abdel-Hamid, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516,
Egypt. E-mail: nabilmohie@yahoo.com
How to cite this article: Abdel-Hamid NM, Tabl GA, El-Bolkiny YE, Zeina WO. In vitro antitumor efficacy of Kochia indica extract on human
hepatocellular carcinoma cell line with or without 5-fluorouracil. Hepatoma Res 2017;3:149-55.
ABSTRACT

Article history: Aim: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy and the
Received: 07-12-2016 sixth most common cancer worldwide. The resistance to chemotherapy is a major obstacle
Accepted: 30-05-2017 in the treatment of HCC, necessitating the discovery of additional agents. There is a growing
Published: 21-07-2017 use of anticancer complementary and alternative medicine worldwide. Therefore, the aim
of present study was focused on the confirmation of the suitability and validity of the new
Key words: markers which would be achieved by demonstrating their significant change and reproducible
Hepatocellular carcinoma, expression during disease and disease management. Methods: HepG cell line was used to
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Kochia indica, provide a source for HCC cells. The cell cultures were divided into 4 groups: control untreated
5-fluorouracil, group, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treated group as a standard chemotherapy for HCC (positive
cells of hepatoma cell line, control) with the following doses (15.625, 31.2, 62.5, 125, 250 µg/mL), Kochia indica extract
chemosensitization treated group with the following concentration (12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200 µg/mL) and the group
treated with a combination of 5-FU and Kochia indica in different ratios. Results: Treatment
with Kochia indica extract, 5-FU and the combined treatment showed a significant cytotoxicity
to HepG cells, with different IC values, when compared to the control. Regarding toxic
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effect, 5-FU showed IC = 237.56 µg/mL which is lower cytotoxic in compared to Kochia
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indica with IC =120.5 µg/mL. The results also revealed that tumor cells were more resistant
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to 5-FU. Alternatively, the co-treatment with Kochia indica extract ameliorated the toxicity
induced by 5-FU and enhanced its therapeutic potency, either by synergistic effect of both
agents and/or due to its flavonoid components that may enhance the physiological properties of
the cell membranes, facilitating 5-FU entrance into tumor cells. This decreased its therapeutic
dose to less than 250 µg/mL by combination therapy. Conclusion: Present findings assume
that Kochia indica extract co-therapy can ameliorate the side effects of 5-FU on HepG by
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enhancing its cellular uptake.

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