Initial Evaluation of Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), Metformin and Taro Extract in Combination with Cisplatin for Enhanced Cytotoxicity in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Cell Lines.

This study evaluated the antiproliferative effects of cisplatin, dihydroartemisinin, metformin and taro extract on MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. Cisplatin at half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC50 (20 μM) induced ~45% cell death (p < 0.001 vs control), while metformin (MET), dihydroartemisinin (DHA), and taro extract (TE) alone showed minimal cell death. Combination treatments (Cis + MET, Cis + DHA, and Cis + TE) significantly increased cytotoxicity to ~60% cell death on average (p < 0.01 vs cisplatin alone), with Cis + TE producing the greatest effect (~90%). The triple metabolic combination without cisplatin caused less than10% cell death (p < 0.001 vs cisplatin-containing groups), probably supporting a cisplatin-dependent cell death.