[Anti-tumour activity of dinitrosyl iron complexes with glutathione]

The anti-tumour dose-dependent effect of binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes with glutathione as NO donors on solid tumour in the mouse Lewis lung carcinome was detected. The complexes being injected at the doses of 21, 42, 105 mg/kg daily during 10 days blocked completely the development of the tumour for the first week after tumour cell implantation into animals. After that, the part of tumour cells which remained in intact alive state began to grow at the rate equal to that for control animals. The effect was proposed to be caused via the formation of the anti-nitrosative defense system in the cells as a response to NO attack to cells. It was also hypothesized that this system can be inactivated by higher doses of dinitrosyl iron complexes. The data were obtained which were in line with the hypothesis.