Ruthenium Complexes as Anticancer Agents: A Brief History and Perspectives

• Published in: Drug design, development and therapy Vol. 14; pp. 5375 - 5392
• Main Authors: Lee, Sang Yeul, Kim, Chul Young, Nam, Tae-Gyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01-01-2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Anticancer properties; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic drugs; Antitumor agents; Biological activity; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Carbon monoxide; Carboplatin; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Survival - drug effects; Chemoresistance; Chemotherapy; Cisplatin; Clinical trials; Coordination Complexes - chemistry; Coordination Complexes - pharmacology; Cytotoxicity; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Drug dosages; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Drugs; Humans; Hydrocarbons; Ligands; metallo-anticancer; Metallography; Metronidazole; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - pathology; photoactivated chemotherapy; Photochemotherapy; Photodynamic therapy; Photosensitizing Agents - chemistry; Photosensitizing Agents - pharmacology; Platinum; Review; Ruthenium; Ruthenium - chemistry; Ruthenium - pharmacology; Ruthenium compounds; Selectivity; Toxicity; ruthenium; photoactivated chemotherapy; photodynamic therapy; metallo-anticancer
• ISSN: 1177-8881; 1177-8881
• DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S275007

Platinum (Pt)-based anticancer drugs such as cisplatin have been used to treat various cancers. However, they have some limitations including poor selectivity and toxicity towards normal cells and increasing chemoresistance. Therefore, there is a need for novel metallo-anticancers, which has not been met for decades. Since the initial introduction of ruthenium (Ru) polypyridyl complex, a number of attempts at structural evolution have been conducted to improve efficacy. Among them, half-sandwich Ru-arene complexes have been the most prominent as an anticancer platform. Such complexes have clearly shown superior anticancer profiles such as increased selectivity toward cancer cells and ameliorating toxicity against normal cells compared to existing Pt-based anticancers. Currently, several Ru complexes are under human clinical trials. For improvement in selectivity and toxicity associated with chemotherapy, Ru complexes as photodynamic therapy (PDT), and photoactivated chemotherapy (PACT), which can selectively activate prodrug moieties in a specific region, have also been investigated. With all these studies on these interesting entities, new metallo-anticancer drugs to at least partially replace existing Pt-based anticancers are anticipated. This review covers a brief description of Ru-based anticancer complexes and perspectives.