Fig. 5
Combination of Pulsatilla saponin D (PSD) and paclitaxel overcomes adaptive resistance to paclitaxel both in vivo and in vitro. (A): MTT assays were performed after 48 h to evaluate the efficacy of paclitaxel alone or in combination with a fixed dose of PSD. (B): Cell proliferation was assessed by EDU assay after 24 h of treatment with paclitaxel and PSD alone or in combination in A549-PR and NCI-H1299-PR cells. Scale bars, 20 μm. (C): Apoptosis was detected by Hoechst 33,342 and JC-1 staining in A549-PR and A549 cells treated with paclitaxel and PSD alone or in combination for 48 h. Scale bars: Hoechst 33,342 staining, 100 μm; JC-1 staining, 20 μm. (D): Xenograft tumor models were established by injecting approximately 5 × 106 A549-PR and NCI-H1299-PR cells into mouse flanks. Once tumors reached a size of ≥ 100 mm3, mice were treated with the following regimens: (1) DMSO with corn germ oil; (2) Paclitaxel (10 mg/kg) with corn germ oil; (3) PSD (30 mg/kg) with corn germ oil; and (4) Paclitaxel (10 mg/kg) and PSD (30 mg/kg) with corn germ oil. Treatments were administered once every three days via oral cannula administration. Tumor size was measured periodically using calipers, and tumor volumes were calculated using the formula: volume = width2 × length/2