Natural remedies.

-5-Phenoxysulphonyl-l-methyl-4-nitroimidazole (NSC 38087) can act as a sensitizer of hypoxic mammalian cells to radiation in vitro. The degree of sensitization achieved is greater than would be predicted from the drug's electron affinity. Cytotoxicity studies have shown that 5pM NSC 38087 can reduce the surviving fraction of log-phase V79 cells in air at 37°C to 10-2 after 2 h exposure. This toxicity is considerably increased by small rises in temperature. In contrast to other nitroheterocyclic radiosensitizers, NSC 38087 and related 5-substituted 4-nitroimidazoles show greater toxicity towards aerobic than to hypoxic cells. Log-phase cells show the highest sensitivity to the toxic action of NSC 38087, with plateau-phase cells, cells with a history of chronic hypoxia, and thermotolerant cells showing greater resistance. These toxicity data are compared to those for the 2-nitroimidazole hypoxic-cell sensitizer misonidazole.