Interactions of cytotoxic and other drugs: rapid cell culture assay

In order to investigate the interactions of cytotoxic and other drugs, a cell culture assay was devised where changes in the ability of cytotoxic drugs to induce cytopathogenic effects can easily be visualized. A human mammary carcinoma cell line (BT 20) and a human hypernephroma cell line were used. Seventeen commonly used cytotoxic drugs were titrated in this assay. As an example of drug interactions the neutralization of nitrogen mustard, cis-dichlorodiammine-platinumII, and 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide by thiol-containing drugs shows that this assay is well suited to detect interactions of cytotoxic and other drugs.