Synthesis and characterization of [Au(dppz)2]Cl3. DNA interaction studies and biological activity against Leishmania (L) mexicana.

[Au(dppz)(2)]Cl(3) was synthesized by the reaction of HAuCl(4) in excess of the dypirido[3,2-a: 2,3-c]phenazine (dppz) ligand. This complex was characterized by elemental analysis, fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass, NMR, UV-visible and IR spectroscopies. DNA-gold complex interactions were studied by spectroscopic titrations, viscosity measurements and electrophoretical assays. These studies showed that the gold complex interacts with DNA by intercalation mode. These observations, led us to carry out biological tests on cultures of promastigotes of Leishmania (L) mexicana. [Au(dppz)(2)]Cl(3) induced a dose dependent antiproliferative activity with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.4nM and lethal doses LD(26) of 17nM for 48h. These findings suggest that a very potent leishmanicidal activity could be associated to the cellular processes involving parasite DNA, constituting a new promising chemotherapeutic alternative in the search for definitive leishmaniasis cure.

Synthesis and characterization of new palladium-clotrimazole and palladium-chloroquine complexes showing cytotoxicity for tumor cell lines in vitro.

New palladium complexes of chloroquine (CQ) and clotrimazole (CTZ) have been prepared, characterized, and evaluated against four tumor cell lines in vitro. [Pd (CQ)2Cl2] (1) was synthesized by the reaction of PdCl2(CH3CN)2 with CQ, and the [Pd (CTZ)2Cl2] (2) complex by a similar reaction. The new compounds were characterized by a combination of FAB-MS (fast atom bombardment-mass spectrum), elemental analysis, molar conductivity, IR, and NMR spectroscopy. The solid-state structure of 2 has been determined by X-ray crystallography. 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P(2(1)/c), with a = 21.100(4) A, b = 13.408(3) A, c = 22.642(5) A. The structure refinement converged at R1 = 0.0728, wR2 = 0.1918. The cytotoxicity of these two complexes for the tumor cell lines, PANC-1, SKBR-3, MDA-MB231 and HT-29, was compared with that of the original ligands. Ligation of palladium to CTZ led to an increase in the IC50, although a three-fold reduction in the IC50 of CQ was observed on ligation to the metal when tested against the MDA-MB231 cell line.

In vitro activities of transition metal derivatives of ketoconazole and clotrimazole against a wild type strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in absence or presence of human neutrophils.

In vitro activities of a series of gold, copper and ruthenium clotrimazole (CTZ, CAS 23593-75-1) and ketoconazole (KTZ, CAS 65277-42-1) derivatives were investigated individually and in combination with human neutrophils (PMNs) against a wild type strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. For 11 out of 12 tested metal complexes, the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) at which 100 % of yeast growth was inhibited ranged from 0.75 to 3.0 micromol/L. The complex RuCl3(CTZ)3 x 2CH3OH (1f) (MIC = 0.75 micromol/L) was, although modestly, the only one able to increase the fungistatic activity of the parental drug (MIC = 1 micromol/L). On the other hand, at a sub-MIC concentration (0.5 micromol/L), the complexes [Cu(KTZ)Cl2]2 x 2H2O (2c) and RuCl2(KTZ)2 (2e) displayed synergistic fungicidal effects with PMNs whereas phagocytic capacity was enhanced by complexes [Cu(KTZ)3Cl2] (2b) and RuCl2(KTZ)2 (2e). The findings suggest that the metal-based agents may give rise to drugs with improved antifungal properties.