Cytotoxic and Antitumor Activity of Antimony(III) Nitrilotriacetate Complexes M2SB(Nta)(HNta) · nH2O (M = NH4, Na; n = 1, 2)

Antimony(III) nitrilotriacetate complexes with mixed Nta3− and HNta2− ligands of composition (NH4)2Sb(Nta)(HNta) · nH2O (I) and Na2Sb(Nta)(HNta) · 2H2O (II) were synthesized. The proposed structures were confirmed by chemical analysis, x-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry. The cytotoxic properties of antimony chelates in vitro and their antitumor activity with respect to Ehrlich adenocarcinoma (EAC) in mice were studied. Compounds I and II produced a significant (60 – 90%) increase in the survival rate of test mice with ascitic EAC, at an optimum therapeutic dose of 25 – 50 mg/kg, in the absence of significant toxicity in this dose range. The results show good prospects in the search for new antitumor agents among Sb(III) complexes with aminopolycarboxy ligands.