Photo-induced cytotoxicity, photo-controlled nitric oxide release and DNA/human serum albumin binding of three water-soluble nitrosylruthenium complexes

[(CH3)4N][RuCl3(2cqn)(NO)] shows more activity than the related complexes with the ligands hqn or 2mqn, with an IC50 value of 21.5µM on photo-irradiation. The antiproliferative effect induced by the complex arrests at the G2/M phase. The complex also binds effectively with DNA and HSA protein and performs photoactivated cleavage of plasmid pBR322 DNA.