The diastereoisomeric dichloro-[1-(2-, 3- and 4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-phenylethylenediamine]platinum(II) complexes were tested on two human ovarian cancer cell lines NIH: OVCAR-3 and SK-OV-3, both resistant against cisplatin. Dichloro-[threo-1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-2-phenylethylenediamine]platinum(II) (threo-5-PtCl2) proved to be the most active representative of the new series, producing cytocidal effects at a concentration range of 2.5 to 5.0 microM on the NIH: OVCAR-3 cell line. On the more resistant SK-OV-3 cell line, threo-5-PtCl2 was only moderately active, while in combination with BSO, a GSH level lowering compound, threo-5-PtCl2 showed a strong synergistic effect.