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Abstract

A method of treatment or inhibition of tumors including the steps of: (i) exchanging one or more of the eight phenyl substituents in the compound [M(dppe).sub.2 ].sup.+ where M is selected from Au(I), Ag(I) and Cu(I) by 2, 3, or 4 pyridyl substituents to provide a compound having anti-tumor activity and an octanol/water partition coefficient between 0.01 and 25.5; and (ii) administering said compound to a subject requiring treatment which compound has selective toxicity to cancer cells including cisplatin resistant human carcinoma cell lines. The invention also includes within its scope compounds of formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 are the same or different and may be selected from phenyl, 4-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 2-pyridyl wherein each of the 4-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl and 2-pyridyl may optionally be substituted; A is selected from --(CH.sub.2)-- wherein n is 2 or 3 or cis --CH.dbd.CH-- or (a) where R.sup.9 represents carboxylate and in such case R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7 and R.sub.8, may be all phenyl; M is Au(I), Ag(I) or Cu(I); X is monovalent anion such as nitrate or bromide, chloride, iodine or any other non-toxic anion; with the following provisos: (i) R.sub.1 through R.sub.8 cannot be all phenyl; (ii) when R.sub.1 through R.sub.8 is 2-pyridyl, and A is --(CH.sub.2).sub.2 --, M cannot be Au(I); or (iii) when R.sub.1 through R.sub.8 is the same and is 4-pyridyl, X is Cl and A is --(CH.sub.2).sub.2 --, M cannot be Au(I).

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First Claim