Some inhibitory effects of (--)-emetine on growth of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma.

(-)-Emetine has little or no effect on O(2) consumption of Ehrlich ascites-cell suspensions or on the viability of transplanted Ehrlich ascites-tumour cells exposed to, or incubated with, the drug in vitro before inoculation into new-host mice. (-)-Emetine administered as a single injection to mice bearing Ehrlich ascites-tumour cells slows the growth rate of the tumour. The subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injection of the drug depresses protein and DNA synthesis of the tumour cells in vivo in a reversible manner. Mice bearing ascitic sarcoma 180 or Ehrlich ascites-tumour cells when given a course of treatment with (-)-emetine or (-)-O-methyltubulosine have a substantially lower tumour load than untreated controls and correspondingly longer survival times.