Objective: Reversal effect of Ys-96, a bisbenzylisoquinoline, on the resistance of human cancer cells to adriamycin or vincristine was studied in vitro.
Method: In an in vitro culture system of human cancer cells MCF-7 and its adriamycin-resistant line MCF-7/Ad or KB and its vincristine-resistant line KBv200, the sensitivity(IC50) of the resistant cell lines to adriamycin or vincristine was evaluated with a MTT assay.
Result: IC50 value of adriamycin or vincristine in combination with Ys-96 at a concentration of 1.00 mumol/L against MCF-7/Ad or KBv200 was found to be close to that of adriamycin alone or vincristine alone against the sensitive cell line MCF-7 or KB.
Conclusion: The drug resistance of MCF-7/Ad or KBv200 could be essentially reversed by Ys-96 at a concentration of 1.00 mumol/L.