Ru(II)-diphosphine/naphthoquinone complexes are cytotoxic against breast cancer cells

This work describes the synthesis, characterization, and biological evaluation of three novel ruthenium(II)-diphosphine complexes containing different naphthoquinone derivatives (Ru1-Ru3). The compounds were characterized using spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques, and X-ray diffraction (For Ru1 and Ru2). Among them, Ru1 exhibited remarkable cytotoxic activity against triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), with high selectivity compared to non-tumorigenic breast cells. Biological assays revealed significant morphological alterations, reduced cell viability, and increased intracellular ROS production. Furthermore, treatment with this compolex induced mitochondrial dysfunction, as evidenced by unbalance in mitochondrial membrane potential. These findings suggest that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the antitumor mechanism of these species toward breast cancer.