Comparative Study of Antineoplastic Activity of Some Aliphatic and Aromatic Hydroxamic Acids against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) in Mice

Swiss mice inoculated with Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells were treated with chloroaceto-(CHA), aceto-(AHA), benzo-(BHA) and salicyl-(SHA) hydroxamic acids and also with clinically used anticancer agent hydroxyurea-(HU). Different biochemical (lipid peroxidation in serum, alkaline phosphatase activity) and haematological parameters as well as transplantability of treated EAC cells and enhanced peritoneal macrophages were studied.
Among the hydroxamic acids CHA reduced the tumour weight and enhanced the longivity of tumour bearing mice similar to HU. The antitumour activity of hydroxamic acids were found to be decreased as HU>CHA>SHA>BHA>AHA. Transplantability of EAC cells was reduced by these compounds. Deviated haematological parameters and serum alkaline phosphatase activity in tumour bearing mice were found to be significantly recovered towards normal after treatment with these compounds. However, CHA treatment had recovered these parameters more effectively.