[Antitumor activity of FK973 for malignant gliomas and its assessment for normal brain cells].

FK973, a novel antitumor antibiotic, was obtained as a fermentation product of Streptomyces sandaensis. FK973 had excellent cytotoxic effects against in vitro cultured human glioblastomas, medulloblastomas, and murine glioma (203 glioma) cells. The antitumor effects were also well observed against ACNU resistant glioma cells. FK973 did not go through the blood-brain barrier. The median survival time (MST) of MG models treated with FK973 was 21 days. On the other hand, the MST of the control group was 15 days. In the in vitro assessment against neural disturbance, FK973 showed a little disturbance of murine brain cells but less toxic than ADM. In the in vivo neurotoxicity examination, FK973 showed no clear damage to the neural cells and myelin sheaths.