Pharmaceutical Applications
NAMI-A has shown activity in the treatment of metastatic cancer and has completed phase I clinical trials
in the Netherlands. It has been shown that the complex is relatively nontoxic. Significantly higher doses than
cisplatin (above 500 mg/m
2/day) lead to side effects such as blisters on the extremities. Within the study, the
ruthenium complex was administered intravenously over a period of 3 h in a 0.9% saline solution (pH～4) .
The NAMI-A is synthesised by reacting RuCl3?3H20 with HCl and DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide). This reaction
results in the trans complex Imidazolium trans-imidazoledimethyl sulfoxide-tetrachlororuthenate(III)
(NAMI-A) .
It is interesting to note that Imidazolium trans-imidazoledimethyl sulfoxide-tetrachlororuthenate(III) is a
paramagnetic compound and the complex is quickly hydrolysed in water. Initially, one chloride ligand is
replaced by an aquo ligand, but the DMSO ligand is quickly replaced as well. As previously mentioned,
it has been suggested that the complex is activated by bio-reduction of the Ru(III) centre to Ru(II) in the
hypoxic environment of cancer cells. There is not much knowledge at present about the biological target for
Imidazolium trans-imidazoledimethyl sulfoxide-tetrachlororuthenate(III). It is known that it interacts with
the imidazoles of proteins and that the interaction with DNA is only weak, questioning DNA as a primary
target for the ruthenium drug.
