Insights into the mechanism of action of platinum anticancer drugs from multinuclear NMR spectroscopy

Abstract

Platinum complexes are now amongst the most widely used drugs for the treatment of cancer. The three platinum anticancer drugs in current worldwide clinical use are shown in Chart 1. The first and second generation compounds cisplatin (cis-[PtCl2(NH3)2]) and carboplatin (cis-[Pt(CBDCA-O,O′)(NH3)2]) are in widespread use to treat a variety of cancers, either as single agents or in combination with other drugs [1–3]. Oxaliplatin, ([Pt(ox)(DACH-N,N′)]), introduced into the clinic in 2002 has become an important option for the treatment of colorectal cancer and its possible use in the treatment of other cancers is a focus of intense investigation [1–3].