The Effect Of Cisplatin On Cell Division Of Escherichia...

Introduction Cisplatin (figure 1a) is a platinum derived alkylating-like, anti-proliferative compound and is also known as cis-diammine-dichloro-platinum (II) (CDDP). It is one of the most effective anti-neoplastic drug that is used in the treatment of several neoplasias such as lung, ovarian, bladder and testicular cancers 1. It was synthesised in 1844 by M. Peyrone (figure 1b). However, it did not attain any scientific importance until 1965, when Rosenberg, Vancamp et al at Michigan State University discovered that platinum electrodes were able to inhibit cell division of Escherichia Coli bacteria. This discovery led to a further investigation of cisplatin effects on cell division in different tumor cells. It was shown to have anticancer activity and was the first platinum cytotoxic drug approved by food and administration authority (FDA) in 1978 2. Figure 1a: cisplatin structure 1. Figure 1b: synthesis of cisplatin 3. A normal cell replicates and divides into two cells which in turn divide into four daughter cells and so on by DNA replication in mitosis. As the cell grows old, it dies because of the programmed cell death known as apoptosis. The dead cells are then replaced with new cells. However when the DNA of the cell is damaged, for example when there is a genetic change such as DNA mutation or defective protein synthesis, the cell becomes abnormal. It begins to divide uncontrollably and forms a growth (cancerous tumour), in contrast to the normal cell in which