ANTITUMOR-ACTIVITY OF SOME GALLIUM-CONTAI NING COORDINATION-COMPOUNDS

The influence of gallium (III) co-ordination compounds on the ornitine decarboxylase (E.C.4.1.1.17) activity, the turner cell viability unde r conditions of short-term cultivation and transplantable tumor growth has been investigated. Similarly to copper (II) or zinc (II) co-ordin ation compounds the mew gallium co-ordination compounds that contain s ynthetic amines as ligands, possess an ability to inhibit effectively ornitine decarboxylase activity in low concentrations. It was found th at common toxicity of new compounds was low in comparison with similar compounds of other metals including platinum complexes. Gallium compl exes inhibit the growth of transplantable tumors: mammary gland carcin oma Ca 755 by 94%, sarcoma 180 by 64%. In ease of ascitic form of Ehrl ich tumor of mice the influence of gallium complexes was less pronounc ed. In the presence of Fe (II) or peroxydase cytotoxic influence of ga llium complexes was diminished, this being an evidence of competition between gallium and iron in the regulation of ribonucleotide reductase and aconitase activity of tumor cells.