Multinuclear NMR and in vivo studies of platinum-based anticancer drugs

The term "cytotoxic" applies to any drug that can damage or kill cells. In practice, it is used more restrictively to mean drugs that inhibit cell division and are potentially useful in cancer chemotherapy. Although anti-tumour drugs help to prevent the division of cancer cells, most of them, in particular those which are toxic such as cisplatin, adversely affect normal cells which naturally rapidly divide. This brings about harmful side-effects such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and lowering of white blood cell counts, which decreases immunity. These are all because of the lack of discrimination of anticancer drugs. Thus, the development of a successful anticancer drug is a very complex process and requires an understanding of how these drugs interact with biological molecules. In particular, the drug must be designed so that it specifically binds to its target: typically a specific sequence of DNA. Yet, at the same time, for a drug to reach its target after administration, it must have suitable binding properties for other biological molecules such as proteins. For instance, it might be necessary for the drug to reversibly bind to albumin (the protein in the highest concentration in blood plasma) if it is going to be effectively transported through the blood stream to the tumor site.