In search of potential anticancer
drug candidates in
ruthenium complexes, a series of mononuclear
ruthenium complexes of the type [Ru(phen)(2)(nmit)]Cl(2) (Ru1), [
Ru(bpy)(2)(nmit)]Cl(2) (Ru2), [Ru(phen)(2)(icpl)]Cl(2) (Ru3),
Ru(bpy)(2)(icpl)]Cl(2) (Ru4) (phen=1,10-
phenanthroline; bpy=
2,2'-bipyridine; nmit=N-methyl-
isatin-3-
thiosemicarbazone, icpl=
isatin-3-(4-Cl-phenyl)
thiosemicarbazone) and [Ru(phen)(2)(aze)]Cl(2) (Ru5), [
Ru(bpy)(2)(aze)]Cl(2) (Ru6) (aze=
acetazolamide) and [Ru(phen)(2)(R-
tsc)](ClO(4))(2) (R=methyl (Ru7), ethyl (Ru8), cyclohexyl (Ru9), 4-Cl-phenyl (10), 4-Br-phenyl (Ru11), and 4-EtO-phenyl (Ru12),
tsc=
thiosemicarbazone) were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, (1)H-NMR and FAB-MS. Effect of these complexes on the growth of a transplantable murine tumor cell line (Ehrlich
Ascites Carcinoma) and their antibacterial activity were studied. In
cancer study the effect of hematological profile of the
tumor hosts have also been studied. In the
cancer study, the complexes Ru1-Ru4, Ru10 and Ru11 have remarkably decreased the
tumor volume and viable ascitic cell count as indicated by
trypan blue dye exclusion test (p<0.05). Treatment with the
ruthenium complexes prolonged the lifespan of Ehrlich
Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice.
Tumor inhibition by the
ruthenium chelates was followed by improvements in
hemoglobin, RBC and WBC values. All the complexes showed antibacterial activity, except Ru5 and Ru6. Thus, the results suggest that these
ruthenium complexes have significant antitumor property and antibacterial activity. The results also reflect that the
drug does not adversely affect the hematological profiles as compared to that of
cisplatin on the host.