Synthesis, in vitro cytotoxic and antiviral activity of cis-[Pt(R(-) and S(+)-2-alpha-hydroxybenzylbenzimidazole)2Cl2] complexes.

A pair of enantiomeric platinum(II) complexes of cis-[Pt(R(-) and S(+)-HBB)2Cl2] (HBB=2-alpha-hydroxybenzylbenzimidazole) was synthesized and evaluated for its preliminary in vitro cytotoxic activity on the human MCF-7 breast cancer and HeLa cervix cancer cell lines and antiherpes virus activity against bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1). In general, it was found that Pt(II) complexes were less cytotoxic on both cell lines than cisplatin and were comparable to carboplatin. There was no significant difference in cytotoxicity between two enantiomers, and the antiviral test results showed that the Pt(II) complexes and their carrier ligands R(-) and S(+) HBB had no effects inhibiting replication of BHV-1.