BACKGROUNDIt has been proved that Tanshinone has obvious anticancer effect, but its mechanisms of anticancer are still unknown. Anticancer Ketonon is complex antitumor drug which Tanshinone is combined with other anticancer elements. This study aims to explore the antineoplastic effects of Anticancer Ketonon on Lewis lung cancer and the mechanisms in mice.

METHODSThe mice were divided into three groups: Ketonon group, 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) group and control group. The former two groups were treated with responsive drugs after subcutaneous inoculation of Lewis lung cancer. The last group was only treated with normal saline after inoculation. Apoptosis index and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometry.

RESULTSTwo experiments were carried out in male and female mice respectively. The tumor inhibitory rates of Anticancer Ketonon were 38.9% and 32.2% respectively, those of 5-FU were 59.6% and 53.9%. Compared with those of control groups, the tumor weights in Ketonon group and 5-Fu group were statistically decreased (P < 0.05). Metastasis rates of the lung in the three groups were not statistically different (P > 0.05). The apoptosis index of Ketonon group was significantly higher than that of control group (P < 0.05), but the cell cycle was not statistically changed compared with that of control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAnticancer Ketonon has antineoplastic effect on Lewis lung cancer in mice and the mechanism may be associated with inducing apoptosis of tumor cells.