Photocytotoxicity of [Cu(N-salicyliden-L-glutamato · 2H2O] · isoquinoline

The metal complexes have a significant role in photodynamic therapy (PDT). The most common metals studied for PDT of tumors are transitional metals. In this paper we have studied the copper(II) complexes of N-salicyliden-L-glutamate. The photocytostatic effect was monitored against mouse leukemic cell line L1210. Photocytostatic effect was confirmed for [Cu(N-salicyliden-L-glutamato・2H₂O]・isoquinoline (CuCIQ), but it wasn’t observed for the parental molecule [Cu(N-salicyliden-L-glutamato・2H₂O]・H₂O. CuCIQ had photocytotoxic effect already at 10 μM concentration. Irradiated cells (1050 mJ.cm^-2, λ = 365 nm) had half the viability of the cells incubated with CuCIQ in the dark (72 h). Co-incubation of the cells with CuCIQ and ascorbic acid increased this photocytotoxic effect and this effect correlated with the elevated level of lipoperoxidation.