Synthesis, anticancer and antibacterial activity of some novel mononuclear Ru(II) complexes

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.