DNA intercalators and using them as anticancer drugs

Many anticancer drugs in clinical use interact with DNA through intercalation, which is process that starts with the transfer of the intercalating molecule from an aqueous environment to the hydrophobic space between two adjacent DNA base pairs. In general, intercalatig agents are two types: monofunctional and bifunctional. Monofunctional intercalators contain one intercalating unit and Bifunctional intercalators (bis-intercalators) contain two intercalating units, normally cationic, separated by a spacer chain that must be long enough to allow double intercalation taking into account the neighbour exclusion principle. Key words: DNA intercalation, anticancer drug, monofunctional intercalator, bifunctional intercalator, bis-intercalator