SURVIVAL FACTOR IN NEOPLASTIC AND VIRAL DISEASES
By
WILLIAM FREDERICK KOCH, Ph.D., M.D.
Chapter 10
RECENT PHARMACEUTICAL STRIDES
Very recently, in the last few years, some highly substituted
Benzoquinones have been introduced into medicine, as cytolytic
agents in the treatment of cancer. The high substitution defeats
any action, inherent to the quinone structure that might be
curative. Such action depends upon high activation of the
Carbonyl group, and upon the wealth of resonance hybrids that
would be possible if the hydrogen atoms, held by the ethylene
linkage were present, instead of displaced by complex groups
that not only prevent electron migrations to the Carbonyl group,
but prevent additions of free radicals to the carbon atoms of
the ethylene groups. In certain instances, the benefit of
Benzoquinone is due to its ability to absorb antagonistic free
radicals, and the high substitutions annul this effect. The
following well recognized reactions might be offered as a
demonstration of this detoxicating quality, which is lost in the
admitted non-curative commercial drugs.
(Well-established free radical absorbing power of
Benzoquinone...)
…yields the Quinhydrone, which is disproportionate to Hydroquinone and Benzoquinone. Thus, Benzoquinone inactivates free radicals and the therapeutic action is hindered, as clinical tests have proven. We therefore conclude, that the therapeutic activity of these Reagents is partly, at least, to be attributed to the free radicals they contained and which, were responsible for the oxidation and polymerizations in progress in these systems. There is nothing cytolytic about this structure. It is constructive in action.
Pharmaceutical Substituted Quinones
As examples of these cytolytic agents that are admittedly unable to protect or to cure, the following of Schenley Laboratory may be taken as an example:
