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9. HEALTH BENEFITS OF VANADIUM AND ITS POTENTIAL AS AN ANTICANCER AGENT

  • Debbie C. Crans , Lining Yang , Allison Haase and Xiaogai Yang
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Metallo-Drugs: Development and Action of Anticancer Agents
This chapter is in the book Metallo-Drugs: Development and Action of Anticancer Agents

Abstract

Vanadium compounds have been known to have beneficial therapeutic properties since the turn of the century, but it was not until 1965 when it was discovered that those effects could be extended to treating cancer. Some vanadium compounds can combat common markers of cancer, which include metabolic processes that are important to initiating and developing the phenotypes of cancer. It is appropriate to consider vanadium as a treatment option due to the similarities in some of the metabolic pathways utilized by both diabetes and cancer and therefore is among the few drugs that are effective against more than one disease. The development of vanadium compounds as protein phosphatase inhibitors for the treatment of diabetes may be useful for potential applications as an anticancer agent. Furthermore, the ability of vanadium to redox cycle is also important for biological properties and is involved in the pathways of reactive oxygen species. Early agents including vanadocene and peroxovanadium compounds have been investigated in detail, and the results can be used to gain a better understanding of how some vanadium compounds are modifying the metabolic pathways potentially developing cancer. Considering the importance of coordination chemistry to biological responses, it is likely that proper consideration of compound formulation will improve the efficacy of the drug. Future development of vanadium-based drugs should include consideration of drug formulation at earlier stages of drug development.

Abstract

Vanadium compounds have been known to have beneficial therapeutic properties since the turn of the century, but it was not until 1965 when it was discovered that those effects could be extended to treating cancer. Some vanadium compounds can combat common markers of cancer, which include metabolic processes that are important to initiating and developing the phenotypes of cancer. It is appropriate to consider vanadium as a treatment option due to the similarities in some of the metabolic pathways utilized by both diabetes and cancer and therefore is among the few drugs that are effective against more than one disease. The development of vanadium compounds as protein phosphatase inhibitors for the treatment of diabetes may be useful for potential applications as an anticancer agent. Furthermore, the ability of vanadium to redox cycle is also important for biological properties and is involved in the pathways of reactive oxygen species. Early agents including vanadocene and peroxovanadium compounds have been investigated in detail, and the results can be used to gain a better understanding of how some vanadium compounds are modifying the metabolic pathways potentially developing cancer. Considering the importance of coordination chemistry to biological responses, it is likely that proper consideration of compound formulation will improve the efficacy of the drug. Future development of vanadium-based drugs should include consideration of drug formulation at earlier stages of drug development.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. About the Editors v
  3. Historical Development and Perspectives of the Series vii
  4. Preface to Volume 18 ix
  5. Contents xiii
  6. Contributors to Volume 18 xix
  7. Titles of Volumes 1–44 in the Metal Ions in Biological Systems Series xxiii
  8. Contents of Volumes in the Metal Ions in Life Sciences Series xxv
  9. 1. CISPLATIN AND OXALIPLATIN: OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR ACTIONS 1
  10. 2. POLYNUCLEAR PLATINUM COMPLEXES. STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY AND DNA BINDING 43
  11. 3. PLATINUM(IV) PRODRUGS 69
  12. 4. METALLOGLYCOMICS 109
  13. 5. THE DECEPTIVELY SIMILAR RUTHENIUM(III) DRUG CANDIDATES KP1019 AND NAMI-A HAVE DIFFERENT ACTIONS. WHAT DID WE LEARN IN THE PAST 30 YEARS? 141
  14. 6. MULTINUCLEAR ORGANOMETALLIC RUTHENIUM-ARENE COMPLEXES FOR CANCER THERAPY 171
  15. 7. MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY OF GOLD ANTICANCER METALLODRUGS 199
  16. 8. COORDINATION COMPLEXES OF TITANIUM(IV) FOR ANTICANCER THERAPY 219
  17. 9. HEALTH BENEFITS OF VANADIUM AND ITS POTENTIAL AS AN ANTICANCER AGENT 251
  18. 10. GALLIUM COMPLEXES AS ANTICANCER DRUGS 281
  19. 11. NON-COVALENT METALLO-DRUGS: USING SHAPE TO TARGET DNA AND RNA JUNCTIONS AND OTHER NUCLEIC ACID STRUCTURES 303
  20. 12. NUCLEIC ACID QUADRUPLEXES AND METALLO-DRUGS 325
  21. 13. ANTITUMOR METALLODRUGS THAT TARGET PROTEINS 351
  22. 14. METALLOINTERCALATORS AND METALLOINSERTORS: STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DNA RECOGNITION AND ANTICANCER ACTIVITY 387
  23. 15. IRON AND ITS ROLE IN CANCER DEFENSE: A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD 437
  24. 16. COPPER COMPLEXES IN CANCER THERAPY 469
  25. 17. TARGETING ZINC(II) SIGNALLING TO PREVENT CANCER 507
  26. SUBJECT INDEX 531
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110470734-009

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. About the Editors v
  3. Historical Development and Perspectives of the Series vii
  4. Preface to Volume 18 ix
  5. Contents xiii
  6. Contributors to Volume 18 xix
  7. Titles of Volumes 1–44 in the Metal Ions in Biological Systems Series xxiii
  8. Contents of Volumes in the Metal Ions in Life Sciences Series xxv
  9. 1. CISPLATIN AND OXALIPLATIN: OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR ACTIONS 1
  10. 2. POLYNUCLEAR PLATINUM COMPLEXES. STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY AND DNA BINDING 43
  11. 3. PLATINUM(IV) PRODRUGS 69
  12. 4. METALLOGLYCOMICS 109
  13. 5. THE DECEPTIVELY SIMILAR RUTHENIUM(III) DRUG CANDIDATES KP1019 AND NAMI-A HAVE DIFFERENT ACTIONS. WHAT DID WE LEARN IN THE PAST 30 YEARS? 141
  14. 6. MULTINUCLEAR ORGANOMETALLIC RUTHENIUM-ARENE COMPLEXES FOR CANCER THERAPY 171
  15. 7. MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY OF GOLD ANTICANCER METALLODRUGS 199
  16. 8. COORDINATION COMPLEXES OF TITANIUM(IV) FOR ANTICANCER THERAPY 219
  17. 9. HEALTH BENEFITS OF VANADIUM AND ITS POTENTIAL AS AN ANTICANCER AGENT 251
  18. 10. GALLIUM COMPLEXES AS ANTICANCER DRUGS 281
  19. 11. NON-COVALENT METALLO-DRUGS: USING SHAPE TO TARGET DNA AND RNA JUNCTIONS AND OTHER NUCLEIC ACID STRUCTURES 303
  20. 12. NUCLEIC ACID QUADRUPLEXES AND METALLO-DRUGS 325
  21. 13. ANTITUMOR METALLODRUGS THAT TARGET PROTEINS 351
  22. 14. METALLOINTERCALATORS AND METALLOINSERTORS: STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DNA RECOGNITION AND ANTICANCER ACTIVITY 387
  23. 15. IRON AND ITS ROLE IN CANCER DEFENSE: A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD 437
  24. 16. COPPER COMPLEXES IN CANCER THERAPY 469
  25. 17. TARGETING ZINC(II) SIGNALLING TO PREVENT CANCER 507
  26. SUBJECT INDEX 531
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