To find whether synergy exists between IP6 and PG490 drug concentration combinations in specific cancer cell lines.

Problem

Do inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) and triptolide (PG490) work synergistically to induce apoptosis in various cancer cell lines?

Background Information

Over the past century, many drugs have been discovered to eliminate cancer cells. In general, it was the herbal medicines that were founded to have the least or no side effects when tested on living organisms. However, a cure for cancer was not yet discovered simply because the doses required to kill cancerous cells quickly involves a relatively high dosage of the drug. This dose can be toxic if injected in the blood. Inositol hexaphosphate is a component of most cereal grains and seeds. When tested, IP6 inhibited all types of cancer cells and prevented them from proliferating. It has no lethal dose for humans. Triptolide is an active compound found in a Chinese mushroom kills cancerous cells effectively. However it has a lethal dose, which in humans is 500_g/L. Apoptosis is a natural process to rid the body of useless or damaged cells in which reproduction of the cell would be harmful. Apoptosis can be caused by toxic chemicals (such as PG490), which cause the cells to shrink and break down in to membrane wrapped fragments with the phospholipid phosphatidylserine exposed. This causes phagocytic cells to englulf them. Cells undergoing apoptosis also secrete cytokines that inhibit inflammation, develop bubble-like structures on their surfaces, have the chromatin (DNA and protein) in their nucleus degenerate and have their mitochondria break down, all leading to cell death. By combining IP6 and PG490, this will allow for both the slowing down of cell proliferation, as well as the reduced
proliferation of the cancer cells.

Hypothesis

If inositol hexaphosphate and triptolide are combined in varying concentrations, then the concentration of each drug required to eliminate an amount of cells alone will be lowered if the two are combined to kill the same amount of cells. This is because logically and theoretically, IP6 would slow down proliferation, giving the PG490 time to kill all the cells; the two drugs would be synergistic (work together).