title: Metal-based drugs.
abstract: Metals have been considered for millennia to have medicinal values. With the advent of modern medicine, many metal-based drugs have proven to be highly effective in the clinic. Many different metal ions have shown activity against a range of diseases. The unique electronic structure of transition metals offers great versatility, not always seen in organic drugs, in terms of the ability to tune the properties of a given molecule. This review gives a brief overview of the most established therapeutic metals, and their more common applications, such as platinum-based anticancer drugs. New developments within the field of metallodrugs and novel strategies being employed to improve methods of delivery, are also discussed.
authors.forename: Ruth J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McQuitty
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001692:Biological Transport; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D010984:Platinum