In vitro cytotoxicity of peptichemio compared to melphalan and meta-DL-sarcolysin

The cytotoxic activity of peptichemio was studied on primary cultures of Lewis lung carcinoma. Since peptichemio is a preparation of several peptides containing meta-L-sarcolysin, two control experiments were run with melphalan as representative of the clinically active phenylalanine mustard derivative, and meta-DL-sarcolysin, racemic form of the phenylalanine mustard derivative, included in the composition of peptichemio. Peptichemio was more active than the other two compounds and its cytotoxic activity cannot be explained merely in terms of the phenylalanine mustard the preparation contains.