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Metals in Medicine
Cis and Trans?
Cis -platin has a good success rate for treating cancer. However, the other form of the molecule, trans-platin is inactive.
Cis- (left) and trans-platin (right)
Scientists would like to find an alternative to cis-platin as a cancer treatment as it is very toxic to the whole body and tends to get left behind in liver and kidneys.
Chemists work to try and improve medicines and reduce their side effects. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have built new molecule like cis-platin but with 6 side groups instead of 4, and it works in such a way that the toxic side effects of the chemotherapy are reduced.
The medicine is taken in an inactive form, which is then activated by shining a red laser light on the area where the cancer is. Red light penetrates skin very well and also transforms the medicine into an active form, which will treat the cancer. Therefore, the medicine is only toxic in the region of the tumour and there is less of the active form of the drug in the body, therefore reducing the side effects.
The inactive form of the molecule is on the left. The red light causes a reaction to happen producing the anti-cancer compound on the right.
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