[Lowering of adriamycin toxicity by its combined administration with a copper Cu-2 complex]

Cu-2, a new Soviet copper-complexed cytostatic, decreased acute and hematologic toxicity after lethal doses of adriamycin (AD) were given to male CBA mice. Cu-2 (3.5 mg/kg) was first injected 10 minutes after AD was given, and a second injection followed 50 minutes after the first. Relative to controls given AD alone, the mortality of Cu-2 treated mice was decreased and their lifespan increased. Leukopenia also was less pronounced and of shorter duration. The observed effect of Cu-2 may be related to its superoxide dismutase activity, which may inactivate free radical by-products of AD metabolism known to contribute significantly to the toxicity of this anti-cancer antibiotic.