On the Mechanism of Action of the Antitumor Drug cis-Platin (cis-DDP) and its Second Generation Derivatives

The present article attempts to summarise the elements of the mechanism of action of the antitumor drug cis -Platin presented the last few years. Highlights on the discovery, of the drug and the development of it's second generation derivatives are presented, as well as the ways that cis -DDP reacts with biomolecules as DNA and proteins and their models e.g. nucleosides, nucleotides. Also the hydrolysis data are presented for cis -DDP and its' inactive congener trans -DDP, as well as for the second generation drug carboplatin. Finally, usefull conclusions are given from this work, pointing out the unanswered questions about the action of cis -DDP as well as its differences in action, in comparison with trans -DDP.