Benzodiazepine-induced inhibition of human malignant melanoma (M-6) cell growth.

Since benzodiazepines (BZs) have been shown to inhibit the growth of some cell lines, the effects of these drugs on human melanoma (M-6) cell growth were examined. Cell growth was measured by the tetrazolium salt (MTT) assay or the Hoechst 33258 DNA assay. Diazepam, a non-selective BZ agonist, and Ro5-4864, a peripheral-type agonist, inhibited M-6 cell proliferation by 36% and 55% with EC50s of 139 microM and 107 microM respectively, after four …