Thiosemicarbazones‒PdII complexes: Anticancer Evaluation

Platinum compounds have been used in chemotherapy for different types of cancers. Based on this, nonplatinum metal drugs arise as an option to remedy the limitations of platinum-based drugs.1 Palladium complexes have structural similarities with Platinum complexes, the principal metal drug used in cancer treatment. However, the Pd(II) compounds present different action modes and targets than cisplatin.2,3 In current work, nine Pd(II)-thiosemicarbazones compounds have been evaluated for cancer treatment. After a complete characterization, the compounds were tested against tumoral and non-tumoral cell lines in a viability assay towards different tissues: breast, prostate, skin, lung, and ovary. The Pd-complexes present high cytotoxicity in breast and ovary cells with IC50 between 0.15 to 20 µmol·L-1. At the same time, the compounds did not modify the phases of the cell cycle. Finally, the compounds were tested in biomolecules assays, and the interaction with DNA, HSA, CathepsinB, and DNA-topoisomerases was observed.