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Metal Complexes as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Agents
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Metal Complexes as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Agents

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 19344

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Mihaela Badea

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Guest Editor
Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Catalysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bucharest, 90-92 Panduri Str., 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: complexes with heterocyclic derivatives; antimicrobial and antitumor activity of coordination compounds; complexes with enzyme-like activity
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, a large number of coordination compounds with antimicrobial and/or antitumor activity have been published. The huge interest in developing such species comes from the increased resistance of germs/tumor cells as well as from the ability of pathogenic microorganisms to develop biofilms on prosthetic materials or natural tissues. The synthesis strategies are oriented toward the use of transition metal ions, which are involved in different biological processes and polydentate ligands, either synthetic or natural, sometimes with proven antimicrobial activity. The purpose of this Special Issue is to join the effort to find new species with improved biological activity and low toxicity.

Prof. Dr. Mihaela Badea
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • metal complexes
  • antimicrobial activity
  • antiproliferative activity
  • cytotoxicity
  • biofilm

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3793 KiB  
Article
Copper(II) Methacrylate Complexes with Imidazole Derivatives—Structural, Spectral and Antitumor Features
by Dragoș Vlad Teodoru, Rodica Olar, Cătălin Maxim, Mihaela Bacalum, Mina Răileanu, Emilia-Elena Iorgulescu, Gina Vasile Scăețeanu and Mihaela Badea
Molecules 2024, 29(17), 4010; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29174010 - 24 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1226
Abstract
A series of five novel copper(II) complexes with imidazole derivatives having general core Cu(R-Im)2(Macr)2 (Macr = methacrylate anion; R-Im = 2-methylimidazole/2-MeIm, 4-methylimidazole/4-MeIm, 2-ethylimidazole/2-EtIm, 2-isopropylimidazole/2-iPrIm) has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electronic [...] Read more.
A series of five novel copper(II) complexes with imidazole derivatives having general core Cu(R-Im)2(Macr)2 (Macr = methacrylate anion; R-Im = 2-methylimidazole/2-MeIm, 4-methylimidazole/4-MeIm, 2-ethylimidazole/2-EtIm, 2-isopropylimidazole/2-iPrIm) has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electronic reflectance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, thermal analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. All complexes crystalize in a monoclinic crystal system and form a complex supramolecular network developed through hydrogen bonds. The stereochemistry of the copper ion is distorted octahedral except for the compound with 4-methylimidazole for which the geometry is square-pyramidal. The imidazole derivatives act as unidentate while methacrylate ions are chelated except for compound with 4-methylimidazole where is unidentate. All ligands and complexes inhibited B16 murine melanoma cells in a micromolar range, but the complex with 2-isopropylimidazole was more active. Furthermore, all species do not affect the healthy BJ cells in the concentration range used for assays. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Complexes as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Agents)
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22 pages, 3930 KiB  
Article
Novel Cerium(IV) Coordination Compounds of Monensin and Salinomycin
by Nikolay Petkov, Ivayla Pantcheva, Anela Ivanova, Radostina Stoyanova, Rositsa Kukeva, Radostina Alexandrova, Abedullkader Abudalleh and Petar Dorkov
Molecules 2023, 28(12), 4676; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28124676 - 9 Jun 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2403
Abstract
The largely uncharted complexation chemistry of the veterinary polyether ionophores, monensic and salinomycinic acids (HL) with metal ions of type M4+ and the known antiproliferative potential of antibiotics has provoked our interest in exploring the coordination processes between MonH/SalH and ions of [...] Read more.
The largely uncharted complexation chemistry of the veterinary polyether ionophores, monensic and salinomycinic acids (HL) with metal ions of type M4+ and the known antiproliferative potential of antibiotics has provoked our interest in exploring the coordination processes between MonH/SalH and ions of Ce4+. (1) Methods: Novel monensinate and salinomycinate cerium(IV)-based complexes were synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, a plethora of physicochemical methods, density functional theory, molecular dynamics, and biological assays. (2) Results: The formation of coordination species of a general composition [CeL2(OH)2] and [CeL(NO3)2(OH)], depending on reaction conditions, was proven both experimentally and theoretically. The metal(IV) complexes [CeL(NO3)2(OH)] possess promising cytotoxic activity against the human tumor uterine cervix (HeLa) cell line, being highly selective (non-tumor embryo Lep-3 vs. HeLa) compared to cisplatin, oxaliplatin, and epirubicin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Complexes as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Agents)
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24 pages, 6791 KiB  
Article
Bipyridine Ruthenium(II) Complexes with Halogen-Substituted Salicylates: Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Biological Activity
by Martin Schoeller, Milan Piroš, Miroslava Litecká, Katarína Koňariková, Flóra Jozefíková, Alexandra Šagátová, Eva Zahradníková, Jindra Valentová and Ján Moncol
Molecules 2023, 28(12), 4609; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28124609 - 7 Jun 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2634
Abstract
Ruthenium complexes currently represent a perspective subject of investigation in terms of potential anticancer therapeutics. Eight novel octahedral ruthenium(II) complexes are the subject of this article. Complexes contain 2,2′-bipyridine molecules and salicylates as ligands, differing in position and type of halogen substituent. The [...] Read more.
Ruthenium complexes currently represent a perspective subject of investigation in terms of potential anticancer therapeutics. Eight novel octahedral ruthenium(II) complexes are the subject of this article. Complexes contain 2,2′-bipyridine molecules and salicylates as ligands, differing in position and type of halogen substituent. The structure of the complexes was determined via X-ray structural analysis and NMR spectroscopy. All complexes were characterized by spectral methods—FTIR, UV–Vis, ESI-MS. Complexes show sufficient stability in solutions. Therefore, their biological properties were studied. Binding ability to BSA, interaction with DNA, as well as in vitro antiproliferative effects against MCF-7 and U-118MG cell lines were investigated. Several complexes showed anticancer effects against these cell lines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Complexes as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Agents)
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16 pages, 2870 KiB  
Article
New Palladium(II) Complexes Containing Methyl Gallate and Octyl Gallate: Effect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Campylobacter jejuni
by Raphael Tristão Cruvinel Silva, Micaela Guidotti-Takeuchi, Jéssica Laura Miranda Peixoto, Fernanda Manaia Demarqui, Ananda Paula Mori, Carolyne Ferreira Dumont, Gabriella Rayane Aparecida Ferreira, Gabriele de Menezes Pereira, Daise Aparecida Rossi, Pedro Paulo Corbi, Fernando Rogério Pavan, Celso de Oliveira Rezende Júnior, Roberta Torres de Melo and Wendell Guerra
Molecules 2023, 28(9), 3887; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28093887 - 5 May 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2708
Abstract
This work describes the preparation, characterization and antimicrobial activity of four palladium(II) complexes, namely, [Pd(meg)(1,10-phen)] 1, [Pd(meg)(PPh3)2] 2, [Pd(og)(1,10-phen)] 3 and [Pd(og)(PPh3)2] 4, where meg = methyl gallate, og = octyl gallate, 1,10-phen [...] Read more.
This work describes the preparation, characterization and antimicrobial activity of four palladium(II) complexes, namely, [Pd(meg)(1,10-phen)] 1, [Pd(meg)(PPh3)2] 2, [Pd(og)(1,10-phen)] 3 and [Pd(og)(PPh3)2] 4, where meg = methyl gallate, og = octyl gallate, 1,10-phen = 1,10-phenanthroline and PPh3 = triphenylphosphine. As to the chemical structures, spectral and physicochemical studies of 1–4 indicated that methyl or octyl gallate coordinates a palladium(II) ion through two oxygen atoms upon deprotonation. A chelating bidentate phenanthroline or two triphenylphosphine molecules complete the coordination sphere of palladium(II) ion, depending on the complex. The metal complexes were tested against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv strain and 2 exhibited high activity (MIC = 3.28 μg/mL). As to the tests with Campylobacter jejuni, complex 1 showed a significant effect in reducing bacterial population (greater than 7 log CFU) in planktonic forms, as well as in the biomass intensity (IBF: 0.87) when compared to peracetic acid (IBF: 1.11) at a concentration of 400 μg/mL. The effect provided by these complexes has specificity according to the target microorganism and represent a promising alternative for the control of microorganisms of public health importance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Complexes as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Agents)
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19 pages, 4747 KiB  
Article
Novel Type of Tetranitrosyl Iron Salt: Synthesis, Structure and Antibacterial Activity of Complex [FeL’2(NO)2][FeL’L”(NO)2] with L’-thiobenzamide and L”-thiosulfate
by Nataliya A. Sanina, Arina A. Starostina, Andrey N. Utenyshev, Pavel V. Dorovatovskii, Nina S. Emel’yanova, Vladimir B. Krapivin, Victor B. Luzhkov, Viktoriya A. Mumyatova, Anastasiya A. Balakina, Alexei A. Terentiev and Sergey M. Aldoshin
Molecules 2022, 27(20), 6886; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27206886 - 14 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2142
Abstract
In this work a new donor of nitric oxide (NO) with antibacterial properties, namely nitrosyl iron complex of [Fe(C6H5C-SNH2)2(NO)2][Fe(C6H5C-SNH2)(S2O3)(NO)2] composition (complex [...] Read more.
In this work a new donor of nitric oxide (NO) with antibacterial properties, namely nitrosyl iron complex of [Fe(C6H5C-SNH2)2(NO)2][Fe(C6H5C-SNH2)(S2O3)(NO)2] composition (complex I), has been synthesized and studied. Complex I was produced by the reduction of the aqueous solution of [Fe2(S2O3)2(NO)2]2− dianion by the thiosulfate, with the further treatment of the mixture by the acidified alcohol solution of thiobenzamide. Based on the structural study of I (X-ray analysis, quantum chemical calculations by NBO and QTAIM methods in the frame of DFT), the data were obtained on the presence of the NO…NO interactions, which stabilize the DNIC dimer in the solid phase. The conformation properties, electronic structure and free energies of complex I hydration were studied using B3LYP functional and the set of 6–31 + G(d,p) basis functions. The effect of an aquatic surrounding was taken into account in the frame of a polarized continuous model (PCM). The NO-donating activity of complex I was studied by the amperometry method using an “amiNO-700” sensor electrode of the “inNO Nitric Oxide Measuring System”. The antibacterial activity of I was studied on gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive (Micrococcus luteus) bacteria. Cytotoxicity was studied using Vero cells. Complex I was found to exhibit antibacterial activity comparable to that of antibiotics, and moderate toxicity to Vero cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Complexes as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Agents)
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25 pages, 14107 KiB  
Article
Biological Activity of Triazolopyrimidine Copper(II) Complexes Modulated by an Auxiliary N-N-Chelating Heterocycle Ligands
by Lavinia L. Ruta, Ileana C. Farcasanu, Mihaela Bacalum, Mina Răileanu, Arpad Mihai Rostas, Constantin Daniliuc, Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc, Luminița Măruțescu, Marcela Popa, Mihaela Badea, Emilia Elena Iorgulescu and Rodica Olar
Molecules 2021, 26(22), 6772; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26226772 - 9 Nov 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3392
Abstract
Novel complexes of type [Cu(N-N)(dmtp)2(OH2)](ClO4)2·dmtp ((1) N-N: 2,2′-bipyridine; (2) L: 1,10-phenantroline and dmtp: 5,7-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine) were designed in order to obtain biologically active compounds. Complexes were characterized as mononuclear species [...] Read more.
Novel complexes of type [Cu(N-N)(dmtp)2(OH2)](ClO4)2·dmtp ((1) N-N: 2,2′-bipyridine; (2) L: 1,10-phenantroline and dmtp: 5,7-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine) were designed in order to obtain biologically active compounds. Complexes were characterized as mononuclear species that crystallized in the space group P-1 of the triclinic system with a square pyramidal geometry around the copper (II). In addition to the antiproliferative effect on murine melanoma B16 cells, complex (1) exhibited low toxicity on normal BJ cells and did not affect membrane integrity. Complex (2) proved to be a more potent antimicrobial in comparison with (1), but both compounds were more active in comparison with dmtp—both against planktonic cells and biofilms. A stronger antimicrobial and antibiofilm effect was noticed against the Gram-positive strains, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Both electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae studies indicated that the complexes were scavengers rather than reactive oxygen species promoters. Their DNA intercalating capacity was evidenced by modifications in both absorption and fluorescence spectra. Furthermore, both complexes exhibited nuclease-like activity, which increased in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Complexes as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Agents)
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Review

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56 pages, 20049 KiB  
Review
Research Progress on the Biological Activities of Metal Complexes Bearing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrazones
by Ruixue Liu, Jingbo Cui, Tongyan Ding, Yancheng Liu and Hong Liang
Molecules 2022, 27(23), 8393; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27238393 - 1 Dec 2022
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3464
Abstract
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 [...] Read more.
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. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Complexes as Potential Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Agents)
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