Anti-tumor platinum (IV) complexes bearing the anti-inflammatory drug naproxen in the axial position

The role of inflammation in cancer generation is gaining importance in the field of cancer research. The chemo-anti-inflammatory strategy that involves using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug compounds as effective anti-tumor agents is being acceded globally. In the present study, seven new Pt (IV) complexes based on cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin scaffold bearing the anti-inflammatory drug naproxen in the axial position were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS, Fourier transform-infrared, ¹ H- and ¹⁹⁵ Pt-NMR spectroscopy. The reduction behavior in the presence of ascorbic acid was studied using high-performance liquid chromatography. The cytotoxicity against two human breast cell lines and the anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated. All the complexes are able to promote a comparable activity, with average three- and 13-fold more cytotoxic than cisplatin against MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, respectively. The complexes show remarkable anti-inflammatory effects, which indicated their potential in treating cancer associated with inflammation and reducing side-effects of chemotherapy.