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Bleomycin and metal interactions

  • Chapter
Metal Compounds in Cancer Therapy

Abstract

The bleomycins were first isolated in 1966 as a copper complex from a culture of Streptomyces verticillusby Umezawa et al. (1966). The bleomycins are a group of glycopeptide antibiotics possessing antitumour properties against several animal and human tumour lines. Early fractionation studies on the isolated bleomycin complex revealed at least 12 different components, with bleomycin A2 accounting for 55-70% and bleomycin B2 25-32% of clinical preparations (Figure 9.1). The pharmacological activity of bleomycin (A2, B2) is defined (and units of activity standardized) by its antimicrobial activity towards the bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis(Lightbown, Gutteridge and Shute, 1981). Bleomycin sulphate, used clinically, has an activity of around 1.7 mg units/mg solid. It is a hygroscopic powder with considerable toxicity if inhaled. Opened ampoules or vials should therefore be carefully handled in appropriate safety cabinets. The International Reference Preparation of bleomycin containing 8910 International Units of bleomycin per ampoule can be obtained from the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN63QG, UK.

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Authors
  1. John M. C. Gutteridge
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, Reading, UK

    Simon P. Fricker

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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Gutteridge, J.M.C. (1994). Bleomycin and metal interactions. In: Fricker, S.P. (eds) Metal Compounds in Cancer Therapy. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1252-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1252-9_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4545-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1252-9

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