Lack of experimental vesicant activity for the anticancer agents cisplatin, melphalan, and mitoxantrone

Cisplatin and L-PAM are DNA-crosslinking anticancer agents which have not been systematically studied for vesicant potential. Mitoxantrone is a new active anthracene-based, DNA intercalator which is undergoing widespread clinical testing for antitumor efficacy in man. These three agents were tested for vesicant activity in dehaired BALB/c mice given ID injections equivalent to human clinical doses. Neither cisplatin (up to 150 mg/m²) nor L-PAM (up to 71 mg/m²) produced any skin necrosis in the mice. The L-PAM solvent (acid/alcohol in propylene glycol) was ulcerogenic if injected undiluted. Mitoxantrone (up to 14 mg/m²) was not ulcerogenic in the mice, although the skin site retained a blue drug discoloration for several weeks. It is concluded that in clinically relevant doses, cisplatin, L-PAM, and mitoxantrone are not vesicants.