Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen on the Anticancer Effect of Artemisinin on Molt-4 Human Leukemia Cells

Background: Artemisinin selectively kills cancer cells which have more intracellular free iron than do normal cells. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO 2 ) may be beneficial in the treatment of cancer. The hypothesis of this study was that HBO 2 enhances anticancer activity of artemisinin. Materials and Methods: After pretreatment with 12 μM holotransferrin, Molt-4 human leukemia cells were cultured in 10 μM artemisinin and exposed for 90 min to one of three different conditions: control, room air control, and HBO 2 . Cell growth was determined for 48 h after exposure. Results: Differences in growth were noted after 6 h of incubation. After 48 h of incubation, growth of cells treated with artemisinin alone or HBO 2 alone was 85% of that of cells grown under artemisinin-free control conditions. Combined artemisinin and HBO 2 treatment resulted in an additional 22% decrease in growth. Conclusion: Combined HBO 2 and artemisinin exposure may be an effective anticancer chemotherapeutic strategy.