New Cu(II) complexes with pyrazolyl derived Schiff base ligands: Synthesis and biological evaluation

Experimental and Computational Studies on the Interaction of DNA with Hesperetin Schiff Base CuII Complexes

The interactions with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) of three Schiff bases formed by the condensation of hesperetin with benzohydrazide (HHSB or L1H3), isoniazid (HIN or L2H3), or thiosemicarbazide (HTSC or L3H3) and their CuII complexes (CuHHSB, CuHIN, and CuHTSC with the general formula [CuLnH2(AcO)]) were evaluated in aqueous solution both experimentally and theoretically. UV-Vis studies indicate that the ligands and complexes exhibit hypochromism, which suggests helical ordering in the DNA helix. The intrinsic binding constants (Kb) of the Cu compounds with CT-DNA, in the range (2.3-9.2) × 106, from CuHTSC to CuHHSB, were higher than other copper-based potential drugs, suggesting that π-π stacking interaction due to the presence of the aromatic rings favors the binding. Thiazole orange (TO) assays confirmed that ligands and Cu complexes displace TO from the DNA binding site, quenching the fluorescence emission. DFT calculations allow for an assessment of the equilibrium between [Cu(LnH2)(AcO)] and [Cu(LnH2)(H2O)]+, the tautomer that binds CuII, amido (am) and not imido (im), and the coordination mode of HTSC (O-, N, S), instead of (O-, N, NH2). The docking studies indicate that the intercalative is preferred over the minor groove binding to CT-DNA with the order [Cu(L1H2am)(AcO)] > [Cu(L2H2am)(AcO)] ≈ TO ≈ L1H3 > [Cu(L3H2am)(AcO)], in line with the experimental Kb constants, obtained from the UV-Vis spectroscopy. Moreover, dockings predict that the binding strength of [Cu(L1H2am)(AcO)] is larger than [Cu(L1H2am)(H2O)]+. Overall, the results suggest that when different enantiomers, tautomers, and donor sets are possible for a metal complex, a computational approach should be recommended to predict the type and strength of binding to DNA and, in general, to macromolecules.

Dinuclear doubly bridged phenoxido copper(II) complexes as efficient anticancer agents

Two cationic [Cu₂(L^1-2)₂](ClO₄)₂ (1, 2), and four neutral doubly bridged-phenoxido-copper(II) complexes [Cu₂(L^3-4)₂] (3, 4) and [Cu₂(L^5-6)₂(H₂O)]‧2H₂O (5, 6) as well as 1D polymeric catena-[Cu(L⁷)] (7), where HL^1-2 and H₂L^3-7 represent tripodal tetradentate pyridyl or aliphatic-amino groups based 2,4-disubstituted phenolates, were synthesized and thoroughly characterized by various spectroscopic methods and single crystal X-ray analysis. The molecular structures of the complexes exhibited diverse geometrical environments around the central Cu(II) atoms. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the isolated complexes and selected parent free ligands were screened against some human cancer cell lines (A2780, A2780R, PC-3, 22Rv1, MCF-7). The most promising cytotoxicity against cancer cells were obtained for 1-6, while complex 6 was found as the best performing as compared to the reference drug cisplatin. The cytotoxicity study of complex 6 was therefore extended to wider variety of cancer cell lines (HOS, A549, PANC-1, CaCo2, HeLa) and results revealed its significant cytotoxicity on all investigated human cancer cells. The cell uptake study showed that cytotoxicity of 6 (3 μM concentration and 24 h of incubation) against A2780 cells was almost independent from the intracellular levels of copper. The effect of complexes 4, 6 and 7 on cell cycle of A2780 cells indicates that the mechanism of action in these complexes is not only different from that of cisplatin but also different among them. Complex 7 was able to induce apoptosis in A2780 cells, while complexes 4 and 6 did not and on the other hand, they showed considerable effect on autophagy induction and there are some clues that these complexes were able to induce cuproptosis in A2780 cells.

Research Progress on the Biological Activities of Metal Complexes Bearing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrazones

Due to the abundant and promising biological activities of aromatic hydrazones, it is of great significance to study the biological activities of their metal complexes for the research and development of metal-based drugs. In this review, we focus on the metal complexes of polycyclic aromatic hydrazones, which still do not receive much attention, and summarize the studies related to their biological activities. Although the large number of metal complexes in phenylhydrazone prevent them all from being summarized, the significant value of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons themselves (such as naphthalene and anthracene) as pharmacophores are also considered. Therefore, the bioactivities of the metal complexes of naphthylhydrazone and anthrahydrazone are focused on, and the recent research progress on the metal complexes of anthrahydrazone by the authors is also included. In terms of biological activities, these complexes mainly show antibacterial and anticancer activities, along with less bioactivities. The present review demonstrates that the structural design and bioactivities of these complexes are fundamental, which also indicates a certain structure-activity relationship (SAR) in some substructural areas. However, a systematic and comprehensive conclusion of the SAR is still not available, which suggests that more attention should be paid to the bioactivities of the metal complexes of polycyclic aromatic hydrazones since their potential in structural design and biological activity remains to be explored. We hope that this review will attract more researchers to devote their interest and energy into this promising area.

Synthesis, characterization, antioxidant potential, and cytotoxicity screening of new Cu(II) complexes with 4-(arylchalcogenyl)-1H-pyrazoles ligands

Two new Cu(II) complexes based on 4-(arylchalcogenyl)-1H-pyrazoles monodentate bis(ligand) containing selenium or sulfur groups (2a and 2b) have been synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and by X-ray crystallography. In the effort to propose new applications for the biomedical area, we evaluated the antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of the newly synthesized complexes. The antioxidant activity of the Cu(II) complexes (2a - 2b) were assessed through their ability to inhibit the formation of reactive species (RS) induced by sodium azide and to scavenge the synthetic radicals 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS⁺). Both copper complexes containing selenium (2a) and sulfur (2b) presented in vitro antioxidant activity. The (1a - 1b and 2a - 2b) compounds did not show cytotoxicity in V79 cells at low concentrations. Furthermore, the antiproliferative activity of free ligands (1a - 1b) and their complexes (2a - 2b) were tested against two human tumor cell lines: MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma) and HepG2 (hepatocarcinoma). Also, 2a was tested against U2OS (osteosarcoma). Our results demonstrated that 1a and 1b show little or no growth inhibition activities on human cell lines.The 2a compound exhibited good cytotoxic activity toward human tumor cell lines. However, 2a showed no selectivity, with a selectivity index of 1.12-1.40. Complex 2b was selective for the MCF-7 human tumor cell lines with IC₅₀ of 59 ± 2 μM. This study demonstrates that the Cu(II) complexes 2a and 2b represent promising antitumoral compounds, and further studies are necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms of these effects.

Tuning the Biological Activity of Camphorimine Complexes through Metal Selection

The cytotoxic activity of four sets of camphorimine complexes based on the Cu(I), Cu(II), Ag(I), and Au(I) metal sites were assessed against the cisplatin-sensitive A2780 and OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells. The results showed that the gold complexes were ca. one order of magnitude more active than the silver complexes, which in turn were ca. one order of magnitude more active than the copper complexes. An important finding was that the cytotoxic activity of the Ag(I) and Au(I) camphorimine complexes was higher than that of cisplatin. Another relevant aspect was that the camphorimine complexes did not interact significantly with DNA, in contrast with cisplatin. The cytotoxic activity of the camphorimine complexes displayed a direct relationship with the cellular uptake by OVCAR3 cells, as ascertained by PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission). The levels of ROS (reactive oxygen species) formation exhibited an inverse relationship with the reduction potentials for the complexes with the same metal, as assessed by cyclic voltammetry. In order to gain insight into the toxicity of the complexes, their cytotoxicity toward nontumoral cells (HDF and V79 fibroblasts) was evaluated. The in vivo cytotoxicity of complex 5 using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was also assessed. The silver camphorimine complexes displayed the highest selectivity coefficients (activity vs. toxicity).

Correlating the charge transfer efficiency of metallic sulfa-isatins to design efficient NLO materials with better drug designs

The present study presents synthesis, characterization and first principle studies on metal chelates, (1-12), of sulfonamide-isatin reacted ligands (S¹-S³). All the products were evaluated by various physical and spectral (UV, IR, NMR, MS) means. The octahedral geometry for Co⁺², Ni⁺² and Zn⁺², while square planner geometry for Cu⁺² chelates were confirmed by their spectroscopic and magnetic data. Their physical chemistry investigation show the ability of aromatic rings to stabilize sulfonamide rings across NH-π interactions at their optimized geometries. The nonlinear optical response for all the compounds disclosed that the z-axis has the most contributions. An efficient electron injection and hole studies for Au and Al electrodes having the energies of - 0.1-3.1 and 0.0-11.8 eV respectively were noted. Their bioactive character was shown by global reactivity calculated from FMO energy gaps. The enzyme inhibitory results were found to be 45-61% and IC₅₀ = 102-122 µL, for compound (4), (10), (8), (5) and (12) against the amylase, protease, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) respectively The antibacterial findings showed significant action having 11-17 mm for (2), (7) and (10) for bacterial species, Escherichia coli and Micrococcus luteus. The DPPH and ferric reducing power assay was used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity with 49.0 ± 0.09-66.2 ± 0.08% and IC₅₀ = 102.3-122.4 µL range. In comparison to ligands, the results showed that all metal chelates had higher bioactivity. The chelation was the primary cause of their increased bioactivity. These findings suggested that such metal-based compounds might be used as antimicrobial, and antioxidant options in future to cope drug resistance.

Copper(ii) complexes with terpene derivatives of ethylenediamine: synthesis, and antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activity

The synthesis of new chiral copper(ii) complexes with terpene derivatives of ethylenediamine and the results of studying their antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activity in vitro are discussed. All studied copper complexes (1–4) showed significantly higher antifungal activity against the strains of C. albicans, S. salmonicolor and P. notatum compared to the activity of the clinical antifungal drug amphotericin. High antibacterial activity of copper complexes with terpene derivatives of ethylenediamine was revealed against the S. aureus (MRSA) strain, which is resistant to the reference antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Using various test systems, a comparative assessment of the antioxidant activity (AOA) of the synthesized copper complexes and the ligands was carried out. The salen-type complex 4, which has the highest AOA in the model of initiated oxidation of a substrate containing animal lipids, was superior to other copper complexes in the ability to protect erythrocytes under conditions of H₂O₂-induced hemolysis.

The synthesis of new chiral copper(ii) complexes with terpene derivatives of ethylenediamine and the results of studying their antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activity in vitro are discussed.

Aminothiazole-Linked Metal Chelates: Synthesis, Density Functional Theory, and Antimicrobial Studies with Antioxidant Correlations

During the current study, the new aminothiazole Schiff base ligands (S1 ) and (S2 ) were designed by reacting 1,3-thiazol-2-amine and 6-ethoxy-1,3-benzothiazole-2-amine separately with 3-methoxy-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde in good yields (68-73%). The ligands were characterized through various analytical, physical, and spectroscopic (FT-IR, UV-Vis, 1H and 13C NMR, and MS) methods. The ligands were exploited in lieu of chelation with bivalent metal (cobalt, nickel, copper, and zinc) chlorides in a 1:2 (M:L) ratio. The spectral (UV-Vis, FT-IR, and MS), as well as magnetic, results suggested their octahedral geometry. The theoretically optimized geometrical structures were examined using the M06/6-311G+(d,p) function of density function theory. Their bioactive nature was designated by global reactivity parameters containing a high hardness (η) value of 1.34 eV and a lower softness (σ) value of 0.37 eV. Different microbial species were verified for their potency (in vitro), revealing a strong action. The Gram-positive Micrococcus luteus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli gave the highest activities of 20 and 21 mm for compounds (8) and (7), respectively. The antifungal activity against the Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus species gave the highest activities of 20 and 18 mm for compounds (7) and (6), respectively. The antioxidant activity, evaluated as DPPH and ferric reducing power, gave the highest inhibition (%) as 72.0 ± 0.11% (IC50 = 144 ± 0.11 μL) and 66.3% (IC50 = 132 ± 0.11 μL) for compounds (3) and (8), respectively. All metal complexes were found to be more biocompatible than free ligands due to their chelation phenomenon. The energies of LUMOs had a link with their activities.

Copper in tumors and the use of copper-based compounds in cancer treatment

Copper homeostasis is strictly regulated by protein transporters and chaperones, to allow its correct distribution and avoid uncontrolled redox reactions. Several studies address copper as involved in cancer development and spreading (epithelial to mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis). However, being endogenous and displaying a tremendous potential to generate free radicals, copper is a perfect candidate, once opportunely complexed, to be used as a drug in cancer therapy with low adverse effects. Copper ions can be modulated by the organic counterpart, after complexed to their metalcore, either in redox potential or geometry and consequently reactivity. During the last four decades, many copper complexes were studied regarding their reactivity toward cancer cells, and many of them could be a drug choice for phase II and III in cancer therapy. Also, there is promising evidence of using ⁶⁴Cu in nanoparticles as radiopharmaceuticals for both positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and treatment of hypoxic tumors. However, few compounds have gone beyond testing in animal models, and none of them got the status of a drug for cancer chemotherapy. The main challenge is their solubility in physiological buffers and their different and non-predictable mechanism of action. Moreover, it is difficult to rationalize a structure-based activity for drug design and delivery. In this review, we describe the role of copper in cancer, the effects of copper-complexes on tumor cell death mechanisms, and point to the new copper complexes applicable as drugs, suggesting that they may represent at least one component of a multi-action combination in cancer therapy.

Synthesis, DFT Calculations, Antiproliferative, Bactericidal Activity and Molecular Docking of Novel Mixed-Ligand Salen/8-Hydroxyquinoline Metal Complexes

Despite the common use of salens and hydroxyquinolines as therapeutic and bioactive agents, their metal complexes are still under development. Here, we report the synthesis of novel mixed-ligand metal complexes (MSQ) comprising salen (S), derived from (2,2′-{1,2-ethanediylbis[nitrilo(E) methylylidene]}diphenol, and 8-hydroxyquinoline (Q) with Co(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), Al(III), and La(III). The structures and properties of these MSQ metal complexes were investigated using molar conductivity, melting point, FTIR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, UV–VIS, mass spectra, and thermal analysis. Quantum calculation, analytical, and experimental measurements seem to suggest the proposed structure of the compounds and its uncommon monobasic tridentate binding mode of salen via phenolic oxygen, azomethine group, and the NH group. The general molecular formula of MSQ metal complexes is [M(S)(Q)(H₂O)] for M (II) = Co, Ni, and Cd or [M(S)(Q)(Cl)] and [M(S)(Q)(H₂O)]Cl for M(III) = La and Al, respectively. Importantly, all prepared metal complexes were evaluated for their antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The metal complexes exhibited high cytotoxic potency against human breast cancer (MDA-MB231) and liver cancer (Hep-G2) cell lines. Among all MSQ metal complexes, CoSQ and LaSQ produced IC₅₀ values (1.49 and 1.95 µM, respectively) that were comparable to that of cisplatin (1.55 µM) against Hep-G2 cells, whereas CdSQ and LaSQ had best potency against MDA-MB231 with IC₅₀ values of 1.95 and 1.43 µM, respectively. Furthermore, the metal complexes exhibited significant antimicrobial activities against a wide spectrum of both Gram-positive and -negative bacterial and fungal strains. The antibacterial and antifungal efficacies for the MSQ metal complexes, the free S and Q ligands, and the standard drugs gentamycin and ketoconazole decreased in the order AlSQ > LaSQ > CdSQ > gentamycin > NiSQ > CoSQ > Q > S for antibacterial activity, and for antifungal activity followed the trend of LaSQ > AlSQ > CdSQ > ketoconazole > NiSQ > CoSQ > Q > S. Molecular docking studies were performed to investigate the binding of the synthesized compounds with breast cancer oxidoreductase (PDB ID: 3HB5). According to the data obtained, the most probable coordination geometry is octahedral for all the metal complexes. The molecular and electronic structures of the metal complexes were optimized theoretically, and their quantum chemical parameters were calculated. PXRD results for the Cd(II) and La(III) metal complexes indicated that they were crystalline in nature.

Recent reports on Pyridoxal derived Schiff base complexes

Pyridoxal and Pyridoxal 5-phosphate are two among the six aqua soluble vitamers of vitamin B6. They can form Schiff bases readily due to the presence of aldehyde group. Schiff bases can offer diverse coordination possibilities for many transition metals as has been found in a large volume of research till now. The coordination complexes thus formed gives insight into the active core structure and enzymatic activities of vit B6 containing enzymes. Apart from that, these complexes have been found useful as catalysts for synthesis of fine chemicals, as sensors and for their diverse biological activities.

Therapeutic potential of vanadium complexes with 1,10-phenanthroline ligands, quo vadis? Fate of complexes in cell media and cancer cells

V^IVO-complexes formulated as [V^IVO(OSO₃)(phen)₂] (1) (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), [V^IVO(OSO₃)(Me₂phen)₂] (2) (Me₂phen = 4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) and [V^IVO(OSO₃)(amphen)₂] (3) (amphen = 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline) were prepared and stability in cell incubation media evaluated. Their cytotoxicity was determined against the A2780 (ovarian), MCF7 (breast) and PC3 (prostate) human cancer cells at different incubation times. While at 3 and 24 h the cytotoxicity differs for complexes and corresponding free ligands, at 72 h incubation all compounds are equally active presenting low IC₅₀ values. Upon incubation of A2780 cells with 1-3, cellular distribution of vanadium in cytosol, membranes, nucleus and cytoskeleton, indicate that the uptake of V is low, particularly for 1, and that the uptake pattern depends on the ligand. Nuclear microscopic techniques are used for imaging and elemental quantification in whole PC3 cells incubated with 1. Once complexes are added to cell culture media, they decompose, and with time most V^IV oxidizes to V^V-species. Modeling of speciation when [V^IVO(OSO₃)(phen)₂] (1) is added to cell media is presented. At lower concentrations of 1, V^IVO- and phen-containing species are mainly bound to bovine serum albumin, while at higher concentrations [V^IVO(phen)_n]²⁺-complexes become relevant, being predicted that the species taken up and mechanisms of action operating depend on the total concentration of complex. This study emphasizes that for these V^IVO-systems, and probably for many others involving oxidovanadium or other labile metal complexes, it is not possible to identify active species or propose mechanisms of cytotoxic action without evaluating speciation occurring in cell media.

Antimicrobial and antitumor activity of S-methyl dithiocarbazate Schiff base zinc(II) complexes

Schiff bases (SB) obtained from S-methyl dithiocarbazate and aromatic aldehydes: salicylaldehyde (H₂L¹), o-vanillin (H₂L²), pyridoxal (H₂L³) and 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol (H₃L⁴), and their corresponding Zn(II)-complexes (1-4), are synthesized. All compounds are characterized by elemental analyses, infrared, UV-Vis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The structures of H₂L² and [Zn₂(L¹)₂(H₂O)(DMF)] (1a) (DMF = dimethylformamide) are solved by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The SB coordinates the metal center through the O_phenolate, N_imine and S_thiolate atoms. The radical scavenging activity is tested using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, with all ligand precursors showing IC₅₀ values ~40 μM. Cytotoxicity studies with several tumor cell lines (PC-3, MCF-7 and Caco-2) as well as a non-tumoral cell line (NHDF) are reported. Interestingly, 1 has relevant and selective antiproliferative effect against Caco-2 cells (IC₅₀ = 9.1 μM). Their antimicrobial activity is evaluated in five bacterial strains (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus) and two yeast strains (Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis) with some compounds showing bacteriostatic and fungicidal activity. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC₉₀) of H_nL against Mycobacterium tuberculosis is also reported, with H₂L² and H₃L⁴ showing very high activity (MIC₉₀ < 0.6 μg/mL). The ability of the compounds to bind bovine serum albumin (BSA) and DNA is evaluated for H₃L⁴ and [Zn₂(L⁴)(CH₃COO)] (4), both showing high binding constants to BSA (ca. 10⁶ M^-1) and ability to bind DNA. Overall, the reported compounds show relevant antitumor and antimicrobial properties, our data indicating they may be promising compounds in several fields of medicinal chemistry.

Antiproliferative Activity of Functionalized Histidine-derived Au(I) bis-NHC Complexes for Bioconjugation

A series of histidine derived Au(I) bis-NHC complexes bearing different ester, amide and carboxylic acid functionalities as well as wingtip substituents is synthesized and characterized. The stability in aqueous media, in vitro cytotoxicity in a set of cancer cell lines (MCF7, PC3 and A2780/A2780cisR) along with the cellular uptake are evaluated. Stability tests suggest hydrolysis of the ester within 8 h, which might lead to deactivation. Furthermore, the bis-NHC system shows a sufficient stability against cysteine and the thiol containing peptide GSH. The benzyl ester and amide show the highest activity comparable to the benchmark compound cisplatin, with the ester only displaying a slightly lower cytotoxicity than the amide. A cellular uptake study revealed that the benzyl ester and the amide could have different intracellular distribution profiles but both complexes induce perturbations of the cellular physiological processes. The simple modifiability and high stability of the complexes provides a promising system for upcoming post modifications to enable targeted cancer therapy.

Five-Coordinated Geometries from Molecular Structures to Solutions in Copper(II) Complexes Generated from Polydentate-N-Donor Ligands and Pseudohalides

A novel series of mononuclear five-coordinated pseudohalido-Cu(II) complexes displaying distorted square bipyramidal: [Cu(L¹)(NCS)₂] (1), [Cu(L²)(NCS)₂] (2) and [Cu(L³)(NCS)]ClO₄ (5) as well as distorted trigonal bipyramidal: [Cu(isp₃tren)(N₃)]ClO₄ (3), [Cu(isp₃tren)(dca)]ClO₄ (4) and [Cu(tedmpza)(dca)]ClO₄·0.67H₂O (6) geometries had been synthesized and structurally characterized using X-ray single crystal crystallography, elemental microanalysis, IR and UV-vis spectroscopy, and molar conductivity measurements. Different N-donor amine skeletons including tridentate: L¹ = [(2-pyridyl)-2-ethyl)-(3,4-dimethoxy)-2-methylpyridyl]methylamine and L² = [(2-pyridyl)-2-ethyl)-(3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxy)-2-methyl-pyridyl]methylamine, and tetradentate: L³ = bis(2-ethyl-di(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-[2-(3,4-dimethoxy-pyridylmethyl)]amine, tedmpza = tris[(2-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)ethyl]amine and isp₃tren = tris[(2-isopropylamino)ethyl)]amine ligands were employed. Molecular structural parameters such as nature of coligand, its chelate ring size and steric environment incorporated into its skeleton, which lead to adopting one of the two limiting geometries in these complexes and other reported compounds are analyzed and correlated to their assigned geometries in solutions. Similar analysis were extended to other five-coordinated halido-Cu(II) complexes.

Synthesis and antitumor activities of transition metal complexes of a bis-Schiff base of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthalenecarboxaldehyde

The complexes of Schiff base have attracted much attention for their potential biological activities. In this research, five transition metal complexes TM₃L₂(OAc)₂ (TM = Cu, 1; Ni, 2; Co, 3; Mn, 4; Fe, 5) were prepared using a bis-Schiff base of N,N'-bis[(2-hydroxy-1-naphthalenyl)methylene]-propane-1,3-diamine (H₂L), which present similar linear trinuclear structures with their three metal ions consolidated by two bis-Schiff base ligands and two acetate ligands. Their antitumor activities in vitro were screened through seven human cancer cell lines by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. It revealed that complexes 1, 2 and 5 show much higher antitumor activities than the bis-Schiff base ligand and complexes 3 and 4, and even than cisplatin. Among them, complex 1 has the highest inhibitory effects on tumor cells with its IC₅₀ value (half-inhibitory concentration) being less than 0.5 μM for human bladder cancer cell line T-24, at which concentration complex 1 shows nearly no toxicity to the normal cell HL-7702 as revealed by flow cytometry. All of these demonstrate a potential anti-cancer candidate for complex 1, which induces tumor cell apoptosis by blocking T-24 tumor cells at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, reducing mitochondrial membrane potential, increasing the concentration of reactive oxygen species and Ca²⁺ in the cell, and changing the expression of proteins.

Evaluation of antioxidant activity and toxicity of sulfur- or selenium-containing 4-(arylchalcogenyl)-1H-pyrazoles

Pyrazoles represent a significant class of heterocyclic compounds that exhibit pharmacological properties. The present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant potential of pyrazol derivative compounds in brain of mice in vitro and the effect of pyrazol derivative compounds in the oxidative damage and toxicity parameters in mouse brain and plasma of mice. The compounds tested were 3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-4-(phenylselanyl)-1H-pyrazol (1a), 3,5-dimethyl-4-(phenylselanyl)-1H-pyrazole (2a), 4-((4-methoxyphenyl)selanyl)-3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (3a), 4-((4-chlorophenyl)selanyl)-3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (4a), 3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-4-(phenylthio)-1H-pyrazole (1b), 3,5-dimethyl-4-(phenylthio)-1H-pyrazole (2b), 4-((4-methoxyphenyl)thio)-3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (3b), 4-((4-chlorophenyl)thio)-3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (4b), and 3,5-dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (1c). In vitro, 4-(arylcalcogenyl)-1H-pyrazoles, at low molecular range, reduced lipid peroxidation and reactive species in mouse brain homogenates. The compounds also presented ferric-reducing ability as well nitric oxide-scavenging activity. Especially compounds 1a, 1b, and 1c presented efficiency to 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl-scavenging activity. Compounds 1b and 1c presented 2,20 -azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)-scavenging activity. In vivo assays demonstrated that compounds 1a, 1b, and 1c (300 mg/kg, intragastric, a single administration) did not cause alteration in the of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity, an enzyme that exhibits high sensibility to prooxidants situations, in the brain, liver, and kidney of mice. Compound 1c reduced per se the lipid peroxidation in liver and brain of mice. Toxicological assays demonstrate that compounds 1a, 1b, and 1c did not present toxicity in the aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, urea, and creatinine levels in the plasma. In conclusion, the results demonstrated the antioxidant action of pyrazol derivative compounds in in vitro assays. Furthermore, the results showed low toxicity of compounds in in vivo assays.

Investi̇gati̇on of pyrazoly derivatives schi̇ff base li̇gands and thei̇r metal complexes used as anti-cancer drug

In this study, six pyrazole derivatives containing hetero atoms have been analyzed using theoretical calculation method. The ligands were tested by HF, B3LYP and M06-2X methods using 3-21G, 6-31G, 6-31G(d, p), and sdd basis sets. The results showed that Ligand 5 has a HOMO value of -7.470 at HF / 6-31g (d.p) level. These ligands were investigated in IR, NMR, and UV-VIS spectrum, then experimental values were compared with IR and NMR spectrum data. The solvents, whose effects were investigated in UV-VIS spectrum, were gas phase (ε = 1), toluene (ε = 2.3741), chloroform (ε = 4.7113), methanol (ε = 32.613), water (ε = 78.3553), and n-methylformamide-mixture (ε = 181.56). Metal complexes of tested ligands were produced with copper, nickel, and zinc. Lastly, the interactions between these six pyrazole derivatives and three proteins, namely 3dju, 2IJN, and 1JNX, were also examined. Biological and anti-cancer properties of six pyrazole derivatives were analyzed by DockingServer. In docking calculations, Estimated Free Energy of Binding value of Ligand 5 was found to be -4.87, -4.82, -1.73 respectively, which indicated the highest biological activity.

Photophysical properties and biological evaluation of a Zinc(II)-5-methyl-1H-pyrazole Schiff base complex

A new ZnL₂ complex containing two molecules of a tridentate Schiff base derived from 5-methyl-1H-pyrazole (HL) is synthesized and characterized. The photophysical properties of HL and ZnL₂ are disclosed and supported by CAMB3LYP DFT/TDDFT calculations. It is shown that there is keto-tautomer stabilization upon excitation with an energetically accessible triplet state in HL, not present in ZnL₂, this explaining the differences found in the emissions of the compounds. The intrinsic fluorescence of ZnL₂ is used as probe for a detailed study of its binding to human serum albumin. The protein-complex association is thermodynamically favourable and it is shown by fluorescence quenching and time-resolved analysis that the fluorescence quenching involves a mixed mechanism with prevalence of static quenching, which corroborates adduct formation at site I, close to the Trp214 residue. The ability of ZnL₂ to bind DNA was also evaluated, as well as its cytotoxic activity against MCF7 (breast), PC3 (prostate) cancer cells and hamster V79 fibroblasts. ZnL₂ is a moderate DNA intercalator (K_app = 3.9 × 10⁴ M^-1) and depicts a quite low IC₅₀ value at 48 h against MCF7 cells (IC₅₀ = 530 nM), but much higher for PC3 and V79 cells. The relevance of a more careful speciation evaluation of ZnL₂ and other potential metal-based drugs in incubation media used in in vitro tests is highlighted.

A novel series of pyrazole-platinum(II) complexes as potential anti-cancer agents that induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast cancer cells

Six novel compounds of platinum(II) with pyrazole derivatives PtPz1-PtPz6 were synthesised and characterised (PtPz1 - [Pt₂N-hydroksymethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole₄(berenil)₂]Cl₄; PtPz2 - [Pt₂3,5-dimethylpyrazole₄(berenil)₂]Cl₄; PtPz3 - [Pt₂3,4-dimethylpyrazole₄(berenil)₂]Cl₄; PtPz4 - [Pt₂pyrazole₄(berenil)₂]Cl₄; PtPz5- [Pt₂5-methylpyrazole₄(berenil)₂]Cl₄; PtPz6 - [Pt₂N-ethylpyrazole₄(berenil)₂]Cl₄). The cytotoxic activity of these complexes against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines was determined using the MTT assay. Evaluation of apoptosis induction was done with the Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide assay. In addition, using a flow cytometer, we determined the influence of test compounds on the cell cycle and caspase-3, -8, and -9 activity. The obtained results of caspase activity were confirmed by cell imaging. Moreover, using the flow cytometer, the effects of the test compounds on mitochondrial potential change were assessed. The test results showed that novel pyrazole-platinum(II) complexes exhibited stronger anti-proliferative activity against two breast cancer cell lines than reference cisplatin. Compounds PtPz1, PtPz2, and PtPz3 with methyl substituents at the pyrazole ring showed stronger activity than pyrazole or ethylpyrazole containing complexes. Studies have shown that inhibition of cell survival occurs by arresting the G1 cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. Our analysis associated with the response of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells to treatment with PtPz1-PtPz6 showed that it leads the cells through the external and intrinsic (mitochondrial) apoptotic pathway via indirect DNA damage.

EPR and electrochemical interpretation of bispyrazolylacetate anchored Ni(ii) and Mn(ii) complexes: cytotoxicity and anti-proliferative activity towards human cancer cell lines

The cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activity are carried out along with EPR and redox interpretation.

Evaluation of the binding of four anti-tumor Casiopeínas® to human serum albumin

The metal complexes designated by Casiopeínas® are mixed-ligand Cu^II-compounds some of them having promising antineoplastic properties. We report studies of binding of Cu(glycinato)(4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) (Cas-II-Gly (1)), Cu(acetylacetonato)(4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) (Cas-III-Ea (2)), Cu(glycinato)(4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine) (Cas-IV-Gly (3)) and Cu(acetylacetonato)(4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine) (Cas-III-ia (4)) to human serum albumin (HSA) by circular dichroism (CD), Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results indicate that HSA may bind up to three molecules of the tested Casiopeínas. This is confirmed by inductively coupled plasma - atomic absorption spectroscopy measurements of samples of HSA-Casiopeínas after passing by adequate size-exclusion columns. The binding of Cas-II-Gly to HSA was also confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric experiments. In the physiological range of concentrations the Casiopeínas form 1:1 adducts with HSA, with conditional binding constants of ca. 1×10⁹ (1), 4×10⁷ (2), 1×10⁶ (3) and 2×10⁵ (4), values determined from the CD spectra measured, and the fluorescence emission spectra indicates that the binding takes place close to the Trp214 residue. Overall, the data confirm that these Casiopeínas may bind to HSA and may be transported in blood serum by this protein; this might allow some selective tumor targeting, particularly in the case of Cas-II-Gly. In this work we also discuss aspects associated to the reliability of the frequently used methodologies to determine binding constants based on the measurement of fluorescence emission spectra of solutions containing low concentrations of proteins such as HSA and BSA, by titrations with solutions of metal complexes.