Alkynes in medicine

Often used Alkynes in medicine

There are not many known Alkynes that hold a good outcome for pharmaceuticals. They are rather toxic and dangerous for humans. Stay alert and be careful when working with Alkynes in the lab or on a workspace.

Although specific Alkynes known as ene-diynes possess a very strong and aggressive anti-tumor compound. These molecules are cyclic and contain an alkene (double bond) in between two alkyne (triple bonds) functions, therefore the name "ene < alkene" and "diyne < two alkynes".

An example of this anti-tumor working agent is the drug calicheamicin. When released into the tumor cells, it undergoes a strong reaction when it gets in contact with DNA, known as the Bergman cyclization. It will cleave the DNA and thus destroying it.

Structure of calicheamicin:

Trivia: it is rumored Alexander the Great was poisoned with calicheamicin. His death has had the same symptoms as of someone that would drink from the water of the river Styx (river of death and hell), which would've been contaminted with calicheamicin.

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