Purslane Seed Oil: A Promising Adjuvant for Doxorubicin in Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Therapy

Purslane seed oil (PSO) is a herbal extract with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may enhance the efficacy and reduce the toxicity of doxorubicin (DOX), a potent anticancer drug. This study investigated the effects of PSO and DOX on the cell cycle and kidney and liver function in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) mice, a widely used experimental model of cancer. Forty female mice were randomly assigned to five equal groups (n = 8/group) with distinct treatment regimens: control, EAC control, EAC+PSO, EAC+DOX, and EAC+PSO+DOX. After EAC cell injection (2x10⁶), mice received 3 weeks of treatment with PSO (200 mg/kg/day) and DOX (4 mg/kg/week). The cell cycle analysis and biochemical assays performed on EAC-bearing mice showed that PSO and DOX exerted different and synergistic effects on the cell cycle and apoptosis of EAC cells, and that their combination reduced the deterioration of the kidney and liver function parameters in EAC-bearing mice. These findings suggest that PSO could be a potential complementary agent to DOX in the treatment of EAC and other cancers, as it could enhance the antitumor and organ-protective effects of DOX.