The invitro antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of [Ru(phen)₂(phendione)]²⁺ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline and phendione= 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione) complex is evaluated on SK-MEL-28 melanoma and normal L6 cell lines using MTT assay and double staining method. The antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects determined using MTT assay method on both the cell lines decreases with increase in concentration of the complex. The IC₅₀ value of this complex against the SK-MEL-28 cell and normal living L6 cell line is found to be 52.648 and 90.974 µg/mL respectively. Apoptosis determination using double staining method followed by fluorescent microscopic images predicts that the synthesized [Ru(phen)₂(phendione)]²⁺complex shows late apoptotic effect when treated on SK-MEL-28 cells and exhibit early apoptotic effect on normal L6 cells. The apoptotic character of [Ru(phen)₂(phendione)]²⁺ complex is due to the chromatin condensation of both cancerous and normal cells by the DNA binding dyes. The results revealed that the synthesized [Ru(phen)₂(phendione)]²⁺ complex shows good anti-skin cancer effect on SK-MEL-28 cell line and no cytotoxicity on L6 cell line. Thus the synthesized complex can be therefore suggested as an effective anti-skin cancer drug.

Index Terms- [Ru(phen)₂(phendione)]²⁺complex, SK-MEL 28 cell line, L6 cell line, Invitro-antiproliferative effect, Cytotoxicity