Disulfiram Copper (II) complex targets cancer cells through generation of reactive oxygen species

Disulfiram (DS), a well-known prescription for managing and treating alcoholism, may be a viable repurposed medication for improving cancer therapy, particularly for treating aggressive and treatment-resistant malignancies. By raising intracellular copper (Cu) levels, producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), and triggering apoptosis, it exhibits potent cytotoxicity against a number of malignant tumor cells, especially when paired with copper. It overcomes drug resistance, inhibits cancer stem cells, and has shown promise in preclinical models of glioblastoma, breast, cervical, and pancreatic malignancies. The results of this study demonstrated that extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the medium comprising of DS/Cu and H2O2 produced were greater than ROS generated in the medium comprising of DDC-Cu, DS only, and Cu only. This suggests that the rapid cell death seen in the resistant breast cancer cell-lines and the destruction of cellular structures may be caused by ROS generated by the DS plus Cu reaction.