Organometallic complexes with biological molecules: V. In vivo cytotoxicity of diorganotin(IV)-amoxicillin derivatives in mitotic chromosomes of rutilus rubilio (pisces,cyprinidae)

In Order to test in vivo cytotoxicity of diorganotin(IV)-amoxicillin (amox) derivatives, mitotic chromosomes of Rutilus rubilio (Pisces, Cyprinidae) have been analyzed using two different chromosome-staining techniques. Results gathered after exposure of fish to the free amox · 3H₂O, R₂SnClamox · 2H₂O, and R₂Snamox · ₂ 2H₂O (R = methyl, butyl and phenyl; amox^? = 6-D(?)-β-amino-p-hydroxyphenylacetamido]penicillinate) suggest that methyl derivatives seem to exert a lower cytotoxicity than butyl and phenyl ones and that R₂Snamox · ₂ 2H₂O deriva-tives are more toxic than R₂SnClamox · 2H₂O at both 10^?5 and 10^?7mol dm^?3 concentrations. The following structural lesions have been iden-tified by comparative analysis of mitotic chromo-somes from untreated specimens (controls) and specimens treated with diorganotin(IV)-amoxicillin derivatives: (1) differentially stained chromosome areas; (2) granular deeply stained zones along the chromosomal body; (3) arm breakages; and (4) side-arm bridges (pseudochiasmata).