STUDY OF THE ANTITUMORAL ACTIVITY OF A NEW Ru3+ COMPLEX: A PROPOSAL FOR THE METALOPHARMACEUTICAL DESIGN OF LOW TOXICITY

In this article the synthesis, characterization, acute toxicity, and antitumor activity of the novel Ru3+ complex are described. Through the acute toxicity tests, it was possible to fit the complexes into categories according to the OECD protocol guideline 423. The cisplatin complex was classified in category 1 and the sodium diaquodimalonateruthenate(3+) - Na[Ru(H2O)2(Mal-κ2O)2] - was classified in category 4. This result demonstrates the lower toxicity achieved by the ruthenium complex in comparison with metallopharmaceuticals compound. Evaluations of tumor masses extracted from mice inoculated with Ehrlich ascites carcinoma demonstrated percent inhibition lowest to cisplatin. Cisplatin showed 58% inhibition (1 mg/kg), while Na[Ru(H2O)2(Mal-κ2O)2] complex (5 mg/kg) presented 77%.