Ferrocene and (arene)ruthenium(II) complexes of the natural anticancer naphthoquinone plumbagin with enhanced efficacy against resistant cancer cells and a genuine mode of action

Plumbagin conjugates with ferrocene (1c) or (η6-p-cymene)RuCl2 (2a) show distinct and selective cancer cell growth inhibition, stronger DNA binding than plumbagin, and Pgp transporter inhibition.124