Synthesis, characterization and antitumour studies on N-salicyl-N'-thiobenzohydrazide and its copper(II) complex

The new potential tetradentate ligand N-salicyl-N'-thiobenzohydrazide (H2SBTH) and its Cu complex, [Cu(SBTH)], have been prepared and characterized by physico-chemical studies. In vivo antitumour activity of [Cu(SBTH)] has been tested against breast tumour in C3H/J strain mice; LD(50) values were also calculated. The cytotoxicity and antitumour effect of [Cu(SBTH)] is a maximum at 100 mg kg(-1) body weight injected intraperitoneally in mice carrying breast tumour. In nitro results of the Ligand and the complex on P-815 (murine mastocytoma) and K-562 (human erythroleukemia cells) indicate that these compounds show significant inhibition on H-3-thymidine and H-3-uridine incorporation in DNA and RNA in these tumour cells. Light microscopic study of the treated tumour mass demonstrated that certain cellular degradation, such as disappearance of mitotic figures, loss in cellular compactness, distortion of nucleus and disruption of cytoplasmic boundaries, take place in complex-treated mice with tumours.