Copper, gold and silver compounds as potential new anti-tumor metallodrugs.

Abstract

Although platinum-based drugs such as cisplatin are powerful anticancer agents, they have undesirable side effects and are effective against only a few kinds of cancers. There is, therefore, a need for new drugs with an improved spectrum of efficacy and lower toxicity. Complexes of copper, gold and silver (coinage metals) are potential candidates to fulfill this need. The development of anticancer drugs based on these metals is currently a very active field. Considerable effort has also been put into elucidating the mechanisms of action of these complexes and optimizing their bioactivity through structural modification. In this review, we highlight recent developments in the design of coinage metal complexes with anti-tumor activity and discuss the emerging importance of quantitative structure-activity relationship methods in the study of anticancer metal complexes. Future work in this field, including likely coinage metal complexes that will attract attention, are proposed.

• Authors: Shiow Jin Tan, Yaw Kai Yan, Peter Peng Foo Lee, Kok Hwa Lim
• Journal: Future medicinal chemistry (Future Med Chem) Vol. 2 Issue 10 Pg. 1591-608 (Oct 2010) ISSN: 1756-8927 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21426151 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Coordination Complexes
• Gold Compounds
• Silver Compounds
• Copper

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Coordination Complexes (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Copper (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Drug Design
• Gold Compounds (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Humans
• Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship
• Silver Compounds (chemistry, pharmacology)