Photo-induced mitochondrial DNA damage and NADH depletion by –NO2 modified Ru(II) complexes

Two mitochondria-localized Ru(II) complexes with photo-labile ligands were reported to exert one- and two-photon activatable anticancer activity through a dual-function mechanism, i.e. mitochondrial DNA covalent binding after photo-induced ligand dissociation and photo-catalyzed NADH depletion, thus displaying good activity towards cisplatin-resistant cancer cells under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions.