Iodinated nitroimidazoles as radiosensitizers

Four different nitroimidazole derivatives, with up to two iodine atoms on the imidazole ring, were investigated for their radiosensitizing potency under hypoxic conditions, in order to test whether the introduction of iodine atoms increases the radiosensitizing potency of nitroimidazoles. Misonidazole and metronidazole were used as controls. Human colonic adenocarcinoma cells were incubated with the drugs at different concentrations and for different time-periods. Photon energies of 50 kV, 60 kV and 20 MV and total radiation doses of up to 20 Gy were used. The introduction of additional iodine atoms into the nitroimidazole derivatives resulted in a strong increase in cytotoxicity of the compounds. In parallel, there were indications that the radiosensitizing potency was also increased.