Discovery, Chemistry, Anticancer Action and Targeting of Cisplatin
Rajapakse Mudiyanselage Gamini Rajapakse, Shashiprabha Punyakantha Dunuweera · International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research · 2017
Cisplatin is the first anticancer drug based on inorganic complexes which was discovered accidentally by Rosenberg in 1965. Cisplatin is now used to treat a wide range of cancers such as head and neck testicular, small-cell lung and non-small-cell lung, bladder, cervical and ovarian cancers. Cisplatin has become the premier in combination therapy for solid tumours such as gastric, bladder, cervical, ovarian, lung, breast, head and neck cancers and some malignant mesothelioma and some less common cancers. This review begins with an introduction to the accidental discovery of cisplatin highlighting the amazing fact of serendipity involved in drug discovery. This will follow a reviewing of chemistry of cisplatin, identification of cis and trans isomers of diamminedicholoroplatinum(II). As for the most relevance to Pharmacy the action of cisplatin is reviewed next. Highlighted there are the reasons for cisplatin toxicity and hence ways and means of reducing cytotoxicity of cisplatin to healthy cells. Finally, the work on encapsulation of cisplatin in porous calcium carbonate nanoparticles for safe and targeted delivery to cancerous cells for more effective and selective action on cancer cells will be discussed.