In the present work a systematic study was initiated with crocine,
ginsenoside and
cannabinoid derivatives on multidrug resistant mouse
lymphoma cells, viral
tumor antigen expression and some human leukocyte functions. Among saffron derivatives,
crocin and
picrocrocin, triglucosyl and diglucosyl
crocetin were ineffective on the reversal of multidrug resistance of
lymphoma cells.
Ginsenoside increased
drug accumulation and
tumor antigen expression at 2.0-20.0 micrograms/mL. Some
cannabinoid derivatives such as
cannabinol, cannabispirol and
cannabidiol increased
drug accumulation, while
cannabidiolic acid, delta-9-THC and tetrahydro-
cannabidiolic acid reduced
drug accumulation of the human mdr1-gene transfected mouse
lymphoma cells. The reversal of multidrug resistance is the result of the inhibition of the efflux pump function in the
tumor cells.
Crocetin esters were less potent than
crocin itself in the inhibition of EBV early
antigen expression. However
crocin and diglucosylcrocetin inhibited early
tumor antigen expression of adenovirus infected cells, but triglucosylcrocetin was less effective at 0.01-1.0 microgram/mL. The
crocin had no
antiviral effect [on HSV-2 infected vero cells] up to 25 micrograms/mL concentration.
Ginsenosides had a moderate inhibitory effect except
ginsenoside Rb1 (was the less effective) on the
drug efflux pump. Among the
cannabinoid derivatives the
cannabinol and cannabispirol increased
drug accumulation, while
cannabidiolic acid and delta-8-THC, delta-9-THC and tetrahydro-
cannabinol reduced
drug accumulation in multidrug resistant mouse
lymphoma cells. It is interesting that
ginsenosides had a chemical structure-dependent immunomodulating effect by enhancing the activity of NK-cells and ADCC activities.