In cancer radiotherapy, 2-nitroimidazole derivatives are known to be useful drugs which increase radiation sensitivity of cancer cells with radioresistance in a hypoxic state, and enhance the effect of radiotherapy. Among 2-nitroimidazole derivatives, 1-(1-hydroxymethyl-2,3-dihydroxypropyloxymethyl)-2-nitroimidazole, which is represented by the following formula (1), has particularly high hydrophilicity and virtually no transferability to neurocytes, to thereby serve as a radiation sensitizer having no toxicity to the central nervous system (see, for example Patent Documents 1 to 3). In addition to exhibiting radiation sensitizing effect to hypoxic cells, the compound (1) has hydroxyl-group-removing action in nucleic acid (see, for example, Patent Document 4), apoptosis-signal maintaining action (see, for example, Patent Document 5), etc. Thus, the compound (1) is considered to be a useful drug in cancer therapy.

In general, the action mechanism of a 2-nitroimidazole derivative is thought to include a re-oxidizing step attributed to very strong electron affinity of the 2-position nitro group. However, such an electron affinity of the 2-nitro group also means the instability of the nitro group. Actually, the nitro group is readily decomposed to form nitrogen monoxide or other species. It has also been known that side chain cleavage occurs under acidic conditions, leading to release of 2-nitroimidazole. In other words, stability of 2-nitroimidazole derivatives is thought to be impaired by the 2-position nitro group, which is a target-action-providing group. Therefore, there has been demand for the development of means for enhancing storage stability of 2-nitroimidazole derivatives without impairing the effect thereof.
Meanwhile, several means for stabilizing compounds having a nitro group are known. For example, the means include stabilization by phospholipid (see, for example, Patent Document 6) and stabilization by a buffer such as citric acid-citrate salt or phosphoric acid-phosphate salt (see, for example, Patent Document 7). It has also been known that a chelating agent exhibits a positive effect on stabilization of nitro compounds (see, for example, Patent Document 6). However, there has not been known means for stabilizing the aforementioned 2-nitroimidazole derivatives. Particularly, it has never been known how a chelating agent stabilizes 2-nitroimidazole derivatives.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-1991-223258    Patent Document 2: WO 1994/014778    Patent Document 3: JP-A-2003-321459    Patent Document 4: JP-A-2005-27515    Patent Document 5: JP-A-1997-77667    Patent Document 6: Japanese kohyo Patent Publication No. 2003-512430    Patent Document 7: JP-A-1995-126017
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