Antitumor activity of some organotin complexes of hydroxamic acids derived from dibasic carboxylic acid

The sensitivities of normal and preneoplastic rat hepatocytes have been tested against four organotin hydroxamates in vitro. These organotin hydroxamates are soluble in lipids but not in aqueous medium. The solubility in lipid had initially been utilized in the pilot experiments with Ehrlich ascites tumor cells containing lipids in the ascites fluid. Cytochemical staining of protein and the growths of drug-treated cells in vivo have been studied for Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Measurement of DNA synthesis, protein content and the cytochemical staining of protein have been employed for normal and preneoplastic hepatocytes. Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and the preneoplastic hepatocytes are markedly sensitive to organotin hydroxamates whereas the normal hepatocytes are less sensitive to these chemicals. The results of the present work are significant, and it may be worthwhile to study the further drug action in vivo.