The Cytotoxic and Synergistic Effects of Flavonoid Derivatives on Doxorubicin Cytotoxicity in Hela, MDA-MB-231, and HT-29 Cancer Cells

Flavonoids have a variety of biological activities, such as anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, free radical scavenging, and anti-mutagenic. The cytotoxic effects of three synthesized flavonoid derivatives (K3, K4 and K5) were evaluated against Hela, MDA-MB -231 and HT-29 cancer cells using MTT assay. The results showed that these flavonoids were not cytotoxic at any tested concentrations (0.1, 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001 mM). To evaluate the possible synergistic effect of synthetic flavonoids with chemotherapeutic agent, the compound (K4) was examined against Hela and MDA-MB-231 cells in combination with different concentrations of doxorubicin (0.01 and 0.001mM). This combination treatment significantly increased the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin (P < 0.05). Synthesized flavonoids could be used either in combination therapy with other chemotherapeutic agents or used as antioxidants in food supplements.