The discovery of cisplatin followed by its success in anticancer therapy laid the foundation of metal-based drug design and development. Further research led to discovery of other platinum containing complexes, namely, carboplatin and oxaliplatin. The disadvantages of the platinum-based drugs are their untoward side effects and drug resistance. This paved way for new metal-based anticancer drugs with a prospect for iron-based anticancer agents. Initial interest on the anticancer activities of iron complexes stemmed from the prolific activities reported for naturally occurring iron-bleomycins and ferrocenium salts like ferrocenium picrate and trichloroacetate. Their efficacy was ascribed to the disruption of the oxidative homeostasis in cancer cells causing oxidative DNA damage. In this review, the early developments of iron complexes as chemotherapeutic agents that eventually encouraged further advances in the field of cancer therapy and diagnostics, rendering them as promising candidates for further research are presented. The aspects of photocytotoxicity, including the photo-release of active molecules, redox activity, organometallic complexes and multinuclearity of anticancer iron complexes are highlighted. We have concluded our review with a discussion on the existing hurdles and the prospective solutions for the development of iron-based anticancer agents.

顺铂的发现及其在抗癌治疗中的成功奠定了金属基药物设计和开发的基础。进一步的研究导致发现了其他含铂配合物，即卡铂和奥沙利铂。铂基药物的缺点是它们的不良副作用和耐药性。这为新型金属基抗癌药物铺平了道路，并有望成为铁基抗癌药物。铁配合物的抗癌活性最初引起人们的兴趣，是因为据报道天然存在的铁博来霉素和二茂铁盐如苦味酸二铈铁盐和三氯乙酸盐的多产。它们的功效归因于癌细胞中氧化稳态的破坏，引起氧化性DNA损伤。在这篇评论中 介绍了铁配合物作为化学治疗剂的早期发展，最终促进了癌症治疗和诊断领域的进一步发展，使它们成为有希望的进一步研究对象。强调了光细胞毒性方面，包括活性分子的光释放，氧化还原活性，有机金属配合物和抗癌铁配合物的多核性。在总结我们的综述时，我们讨论了铁基抗癌药开发的现有障碍和预期解决方案。有机金属配合物和抗癌铁配合物的多核化得到了强调。在总结我们的综述时，我们讨论了铁基抗癌药开发的现有障碍和预期解决方案。有机金属配合物和抗癌铁配合物的多核化得到了强调。在总结我们的综述时，我们讨论了铁基抗癌药开发的现有障碍和预期解决方案。