Cytotoxic compounds for treating cancer

Abstract

The cytotoxic compounds are gold(III) complexes of the type [(diaminocyclohexane)AuCl2]Cl, derived from sodium tetrachloroaurate(III) dihydrate NaAuCl4.2H2O. Specifically, the cytotoxic compounds are gold complexes of isomers of 1,2-diaminocyclohexane, namely cis-(±)-1,2-(diaminocyclohexane)AuCl3, trans-(±)-1,2-(diaminocyclohexane)AuCl3 and S,S-(+)-1,2-(diaminocyclohexane)AuCl3. In order to treat cancer cells in a patient, such as human prostate cancer cells or human gastric cancer cells, an effective amount of the isomer of 1,2-(diaminocyclohexane)AuCl3 is administered to the cancer cells in the patient. The isomer of 1,2-(diaminocyclohexane)AuCl3 is preferably administered with a concentration ranging between about 10 μM and 20 μM.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.