If it is about health, then blue light usually brings the greatest benefit, being on the roofs of ambulances in the form of flashing beacons. But scientists at the University of Warwick have found it a new application: blue light in their latest study activates a compound that can be a highly effective treatment for cancer.

A new platinum-based compound, 80 times more potent than other platinum-based anti-cancer drugs, is activated by light and kills cancer cells more selectively than similar complexes.

Some time ago, a research group of the professor of the chemistry department of the University of Warwick Peter Sadler (Peter Sadler) had already found a platinum compound that was activated by ultraviolet light, but the narrowness of the ultraviolet region of the spectrum would limit the practical application of the future drug.

A new achievement of scientists - the combination of trans, trans, trans- [Pt (N3) 2 (OH) 2 (py) 2] - is activated by ordinary visible blue, or even green, light. The connection is stable, it is easy to work with, and good water solubility allows it to be easily removed from the body.

Researchers from the University of Warwick transferred a new compound to colleagues from the Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, who tested it on laboratory-cultured esophageal cancer cells. These tests showed high efficiency of the compound when it was activated by blue light: concentration of only 8. 4 ?mol / liter kills 50 percent of cancer cells.

Scientists have also begun to study the activity of the compound in relation to the cells of ovarian and liver cancer. The first results are also encouraging, but testing is not yet complete.

"This compound can have a significant effect on the effectiveness of cancer treatment. Photoactivation not only provides a powerful toxic effect, but also makes treatment more targeted, that is selectively directed against cancer cells, "says Professor Sadler. "The peculiarity of our complex is that it is activated not only by the ultraviolet region of the spectrum, but also by low doses of blue or green light. The powerful cytotoxic compound produced by light was significantly more effective than preparations such as cisplatin. We hope that photoactivated platinum complexes will make it possible to treat cancer tumors that do not react to earlier drugs. Tumors that develop resistance to conventional drugs can respond to new complexes, and treatment will be accompanied by less side effects ".

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