Antileukemic Effect of Epirubicin Conjugated with Chitosan Against Mouse P388 Ascitic Leukemia

ABSTRACTThe antileukemic activity of the original conjugate of anthracycline antitumor antibiotic epirubicin, covalently bond to the biopolymer chitosan was studied. The ascitic form of lymphocytic leukemia P388 (transplantation dose 1 × 106 tumor cells/mouse), in hybrid mice BDF1 was used as leukemic model. A strong antileukemic activity of the studied conjugate was found, with a clear “dose-effect” correlation. The criterion “increase of life span”(ILS%) reached maximally 553.4% for the conjugate, in comparison with maximally 170.8% for the free epirubicin. The conjugate showed several advantages over the free antitumor antibiotic epirubicin: lower toxicity, stronger antileukemic activity and higher therapeutic index.