The ability of new formamidine sugar-modified derivatives of daunorubicin to stimulate free radical formation in three enzymatic systems: NADH dehydrogenase, NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase and xanthine oxidase.

Some sterically hindered N-substituted derivatives of daunorubicin are known to be poor substrates for NADH dehydrogenase, NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase and xanthine oxidase. In consequence, poor oxygen radical generation by these compounds is observed. In this study we examined a new family of sugar-N-substituted derivatives of daunorubicin bearing a bulky substituent introduced on the nitrogen atom through the amidine spacer. These compounds were found to be very active in radical formation catalyzed by all three studied enzymes. Thus, the introduction of a heterocyclic ring, even if it is bulky but flexible, on the nitrogen atom of daunosamine moiety through the one-atom spacer (amidine group), does not induce the steric hindrance effect on the interaction of daunorubicin derivatives with these flavoprotein enzymes.