Modification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with a ruthenium drug candidate—indazolium[tetrachlorobis(1H-indazole)ruthenate(iii)] (KP1019 )

Abstract

Functionalized carbon nanotubes are interesting, promising and unique delivery systems for anticancer drugs, which are now in the spotlight of nanomedicine. Connecting nanotubes with anticancer drugs or new compounds with anticancer properties aims at improving their stability, efficiency and reduces the toxic side effects of cancer treatment. In our research, we are interested in connecting functionalized MWCNTs-NH₂ with [InH][trans-RuCl₄(In)₂], (KP1019) which is one of the most promising anticancer ruthenium(III) drug candidates, known mainly as a cytotoxic agent for the treatment of platinum-resistant colorectal cancers. As a result of the amidation of MWCNTs (1), MWCNTs-NH₂ (2) were obtained. Then, they were modified with [InH][RuCl₄(In)₂] (4) and the nanosystem [MWCNT-NH₃⁺][RuCl₄(In)₂⁻] (3) was obtained. The characterization of the resulting products was performed using IR, Raman spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric, XRD, STEM-EDX, ESI-MS, ICP-MS, and XPS analyses. The cytotoxic activity has been tested on human lung carcinoma (A549), chronic myelogenous leukemia (K562) and human cervix carcinoma (HeLa) cells which showed the higher toxicity of the nanosystem than the ruthenium complex.