Imatinib and Artemisia vulgaris extract combination in vitro cytotoxic properties on chronic myeloid leukemia cell line TCCY

Abstract

Artemisia vulgaris is a plant in the genus Artemisia that is used in traditional medicine. This plant has been used to treat a variety of human diseases including malaria, hepatitis, cancer, inflammation, and fungi, bacteria, and virus infections. Imatinib inhibited a good efficacy and safety for inhibiting BCR-ABL in the first trials and was quickly patented in 2001, becoming the first TKI approved for CML treatment. In this study, the cytotoxic assays and statistical isobologram analysis were used to determine the relative potency of Imatinib and the A. vulgaris extract. The findings indicated that the combination effect of Imatinib and A. vulgaris was additive to synergistic. As a result, it was concluded that A. vulgaris extract supplementation could improve the cytotoxicity of Imatinib on the leukemia cell line TCCY.