Synergistic effects of puerarin combined with 5-fluorouracil on esophageal cancer

Puerarin is an isoflavone derived from kudzu roots with a wide range of biological and medicinal properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibitive effects of puerarin combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on Eca-109 esophageal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Inhibitive effects of the treatments on Eca-109 cells were detected by cell counting kit-8, Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry. A tumor xenograft model was established in nude mice. Puerarin and 5-FU, administered either in combination or individually, were injected into mice and the inhibitive effects along with any side effects were observed. Apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay. Puerarin and 5-FU, administered as combined treatment or individual drugs, significantly inhibited proliferation and induced marked apoptosis. The mean growth inhibition rate (± standard deviation) reached 87.27±5.37% and the apoptotic rate at 48 h reached 36.18±1.24% in the combined treatment group. The percentages of apoptotic cells induced by puerarin and 5-FU (combined or alone) were significantly higher than those of the control group (P