BACKGROUND: This study examined the effect of actinomycin-D (AMD), adriamycin (ADR), cisplatin (Cis-Pt), vincristine (VCR), cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) and dacarbazine (DTIC) on the survival of B16 and S91 mouse melanoma cells in vitro, and on the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), the content of conjugated dienes (CD), and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). MATERIAL/METHODS: B16 and S91 mice melanoma cells were cultivated in culture medium. After the selected drugs had been added to the culture medium, the viability of the melanoma cells was tested using two methods: the cell count in a phase contrast microscope with inverted optics, and the MTT Test. RESULTS: The survival of melanoma cells after incubation with all cytostatic drugs was significantly lower than in the controls. The concentrations of CD and TBARS and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in melanoma cells after incubation with antitumor drugs were higher than in the controls. The highest concentration of CD and TBARS was shown after incubation with ADR. The highest activity of SOD was noticed after incubation with AMD. The highest activity of CAT was found after incubation with AMD in B16 cells and with Cis-Pt in S91 cells. The highest activity of GPx was found after incubation with Ara-C. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in antioxidant enzyme activity and the concentration of lipid peroxidation products confirm the participation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cytotoxic action of antitumor drugs.

Keywords: Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology, Antioxidants - metabolism, Catalase - metabolism, Cell Survival - drug effects, Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism, Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects, Oxidative Stress - drug effects, Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - metabolism, Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology, Antioxidants - metabolism, Catalase - metabolism, Cell Survival - drug effects, Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism, Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects, Oxidative Stress - drug effects, Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - metabolism