Relationship between effect of tetramethylpyrazine and Danshen on inhibiting Lewis lung carcinoma growth and tumor angiogenesis

Object To investigate the effects of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) and Danshen (DS) on the growth and metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma and tumor angiogenesis. Methods C 57BL mice with Lewis lung carcinoma were used in this study, which were injected respectively with TMP injection 50, 100, and 200 mg/(kg·d) and DS injection 5, 10, and 20 g/(kg·d), ip, for 21 days. Then the volume, weight, and numbers of the metastatic foci on lungs, tumor microvessel density (MVD) were determined, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of Lewis lung carcinoma was observed. Results TMP could remarkably reduce the volume, weight, and numbers of the metastatic foci, MVD, and the expression of VEGF of Lewis lung carcinoma. But DS did not show remarkably effect on Lewis lung carcinoma. Conclusion TMP can remarkably inhibit the growth and metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma on mice, and its mechanism might be relative to inhibiting the expression of VEGF and angiogenesis. DS injection has no remarkably effect on Lewis lung carcinoma.