Antitumor activity of imidazolium-bisimidazole-tetrachlororuthenate (III). A representative of a new class of inorganic antitumor agents.

The antitumor activity of imidazolium-bisimidazole-tetrachlororuthenate (III) against the P388 leukemia and against the B16 melanoma was investigated. The test compound showed high activity against these tumor models. The tumor inhibiting effect was in the range or better than the effects of the compounds cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, or 5-fluorouracil, which were tested as positive controls. The effective substance is a new, water soluble, anionic, nitrogen-heterocyclic coordinated, ruthenium species, exhibiting antitumor activity.