title: Recent Advances on Dark and Light-Activated Cytotoxity of Imidazole-Containing Ruthenium Complexes.
abstract: Imidazole derivatives have known to possess a diverse range of pharmacological activity. In particular, one of ruthenium-based derivatives, imidazolium [trans-RuCl4(1H-imidazole)(DMSOS)] (NAMI-A) which is now in clinical trials, opens a new avenue for developing promising ruthenium-based anticancer drugs alternative to Cisplatin. This mini-review overviews some representative examples of imidazole-containing ruthenium complexes (ICRCs) with in vitro anticancer activities. Special attention is paid on ICRCs with the activities more potent than Cisplatin, and their correlation with their DNA binding properties in the context of possible cancer chemotherapeutic applications. The ICRCs are divided into two main categories according to their dark and light activated cytotoxicity; the former case is further clarified into mononuclear complexes including tris(bidentate polypyridyl) ruthenium complexes and those containing monodentatively coordinative imidazole ligands as well as polynuclear complexes. The perspective, challenges and future efforts for investigations into ICRCs are pointed out or suggested.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Materials, and the Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P.R. China. kzwang@bnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ke-Zhi
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008027:Light; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017975:Ruthenium Compounds
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D056831:Coordination Complexes; D007093:Imidazoles; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D017975:Ruthenium Compounds; C113661:imidazolium-bis(imidazole)dimethylsulfoxideimidazotetrachlororuthenate(III); D012428:Ruthenium; D004247:DNA; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide