Keywords: 
• Xiaoaiping injection /
• paclitaxel /
• human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 cell /
• nude mouse

Abstract: Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of Xiaoaiping injection (XAP) combined with paclitaxel (PTX) on human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 cells. Methods In vitro anti-proliferation activity study of XAP combined with PTX on human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 cells was performed using optical microscope and MTT assay. Human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 cells were treated with PTX,XAP,PTX combined XAP or vehicle control.Each group of cells was treated with drugs for 24 h or 48 h.SK-OV-3 cell morphology was observed with optical microscope. MTT assay was used to detect the A value and cell viability was calculated. In vivo effect of XAP combined with PTX on the growth of SK-OV-3 cells was determined in nude mice. In our study, thirty-six mice were randomly divided into six groups:G1 (NS), G2 (PTX, 10 mg/kg), G3 (XAP, 20 ml/kg), G4 (XAP, 50 ml/kg), G5 (PTX 10 mg/kg+XAP 20 ml/kg) and G6 (PTX 10 mg/kg+XAP 50 ml/kg). Animals were treated for 18 days. Body weight, tumor volume and tumor inhibition rate were recorded and calculated. The results were analyzed by the SPSS 19.0 software. Results In vitro study showed that SK-OV-3 cell viability decreased significantly in PTX combined XAP group compared to PTX group or XAP group, in a time and dose-dependent manner. In vivo study showed that the combination of PTX and XAP resulted in decreased tumor weight significantly compared to the control or the PTX alone. Conclusion The combination of XAP and paclitaxel exhibited a synergistic effect both in vitro and in vivo in nude mouse tumor xenograft model.