Synergistic Cytotoxic effects of Garcinia cowa Leaf Extract and Doxorubicin on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells: A Promising Strategy for Enhanced Chemotherapy Efficacy

Breast cancer remains a significant global health issue, driving the need for safer and more effective treatments. Recent efforts have focused on natural compounds as potential adjuvants to improve chemotherapy outcomes and reduce toxicity. The study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of Garcinia cowa leaf ethanol extract (GCLEE) and its potential to enhance doxorubicin’s cytotoxic activity on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The cytotoxic effects of GCLEE and Doxorubicin (DOX) were assessed using the MTT assay on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The test results were examined using a microplate reader set to operate at 595 nm wavelength. Chou Talalay’s method was utilised to compute and analyse the combination index (CI) in order to ascertain the influence of the combination. Based on the MTT assay, both GCLEE and DOX exhibited concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects with IC₅₀ values of 6,12 µg/mL and 1,76 µg/mL on MCF-7 cells, respectively. GCLEE synergistically enhances the cytotoxic effect of DOX, with a CI value range of 0.30–0.89. The combination of GCLEE and doxorubicin presents a promising synergistic strategy against breast cancer, with the potential to improve treatment effectiveness while reducing the toxicity associated with conventional chemotherapy.