Carminomycin-Chitosan: A Conjugated Antituimor Antibiotic

Condensation of the antitumor antibiotic carminomycin with oxidized chitosan in the presence of sodium borohydride provided a new conjugated antibiotic. A ring involving a N atom from the 3′ amino group of the antibiotic sugar moiety and the residue of the oxidized glucosamine ring of chitosan was formed during reductive alkylation. The resultant compound was characterized by IR and UV-VIS spectra which support the conjugate structure. The amount of carminomycin bound to the matrix was 25.2% w/w or 391 carminomycin residues. The biological activity of the carminomycin-chitosan conjugate showed an antibacterial action against Bacillus subtilis on the level of the initial antibiotic. Implanted lymphoid leucosis L1210 and lymphocytic leucosis P388 in hybrid mice BDF ₁ showed: a T/C = 242.9 (P388) (for free carminomycin T/C = 177.9%) and a T/C = 201.4 (L1210) (for the free drug T/C = 179.85%).