Carcinostatic and Anti-Arthritic Drugs

In recent years, an important advance was made in the discovery of the carcinostatic properties of cyclophosphamide (12.128a) and its derivatives. The platinum complex (12.128b) has similar properties [15]. 

Phosphine-gold complexes such as (12.129a) have been found to be very effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Auranofln (12.129b), unlike other anti-arthritic gold compounds, can be administered orally [16]. 

Drugs such as [153] samarium ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonate, Quadramet (12.129c), have found use for the treatment of prostate and breast cancer. 

The mechanism of anti-viral and anti-cancer action is a complex subject outside the scope of this book. It will suffice to say that such drugs are usually designed to prevent the production of harmful DNA (or the proteins which result from it), while interfering as little as possible with the production of normal cell DNA. A large part of medicinal chemistry is now concerned with the interaction of man-made compounds with DNA. 

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