In vitro anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity of ternary copper(II) complexes and in vivo evaluation of the most promising complex.

In order to improve the previously observed antichagasic activity of Cu(II) complexes containing 2-chlorobenzhydrazide (2-CH), we report herein the synthesis and anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity of novel copper complexes containing 2-methoxybenzhydrazide (2-MH), 4-methoxybenzhydrazide (4-MH) and three α-diimine ligands, namely, 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2-bipyridine (bipy) and 4-4'-dimethoxy-2-2'-bipyridine (dmb). Two of these complexes showed higher in vitro anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity when compared to benznidazole, the main drug used in Chagas disease treatment. One of them, the copper complex with 4-MH and dmb, [Cu(4-MH)(dmb)(ClO4)2], exhibited a higher selectivity index than that recommended for preclinical studies. Considering this observation, complex [Cu(4-MH)(dmb)(ClO4)2] was selected for preliminary in vivo assays, which verified that this compound was able to reduce parasitemia by 64% at the peak of infection. Further investigations were performed on all compounds. The Cu(II) complexes bind to ct-DNA with Kb values in the range of 103-104 M-1, with [Cu(4-MH)(dmb)(ClO4)2] showing the highest Kb value (1.45 × 104 M-1). Molecular docking simulations predicted that [Cu(4-MH)(dmb)(ClO4)2] binds in the minor groove of the double helix of ct-DNA and forms one hydrogen bond.

Novel gold(I) complexes with 5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thione and phosphine as potential anticancer and antileishmanial agents.

The current anticancer and antileishmanial drug arsenal presents several limitations concerning their specificity, efficacy, costs and the emergence of drug-resistant cells lines, which encourages the urgent need to search for new alternatives. Inspired by the fact that gold(I)-based compounds are promising antitumoral and antileishmanial drug candidates, we synthesized novel gold(I) complexes containing phosphine and 5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thione and evaluated their anticancer and antileishmanial activities. Synthesis was performed by reacting 5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thione derivatives with chloro(triphenylphosphine)gold(I) and chloro(triethylphosphine)gold(I). The novel compounds were characterized by infrared, Raman, 1H, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, high-resolution mass spectra, and x-ray crystallography. The coordination of the ligands to gold(I) occurred through the exocyclic sulfur atom. All gold(I) complexes were active at low micromolar or nanomolar range with IC50 values ranging from <0.10 to 1.66 µM against cancer cell lines and from 0.9 to 4.2 µM for Leishmania infantum intracellular amastigotes. Compound (6-A) was very selective against murine melanoma B16F10, colon cancer CT26.WT cell lines and L. infantum intracellular amastigotes. Compound (7-B) presented the highest anticancer activity against both cancer cell lines while the promising antileishmanial lead was compound (6-A). Tiethylphosphine gold(I) complexes were more active than the conterparts triphenylphosphine derivatives for both anticancer and antileishmanial activities. Triethylphosphine gold(I) derivatives presented antimony cross-resistance in L. guyanensis demonstrating their potential to be used as chemical tools to better understand mechanisms of drug resistance and action. These findings revealed the anticancer and antileishmanial potential of gold(I) oxadiazole phosphine derivatives.