In-depth synthetic, physicochemical and in vitro biological investigation of a new ternary V(IV) antioxidant material based on curcumin

Evaluation of the Anti-Amyloid and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of a Novel Vanadium(IV)-Curcumin Complex in Lipopolysaccharides-Stimulated Primary Rat Neuron-Microglia Mixed Cultures

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are bacterial mediators of neuroinflammation that have been detected in close association with pathological protein aggregations of Alzheimer's disease. LPS induce the release of cytokines by microglia and mediate the upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-a mechanism also associated with amyloidosis. Curcumin is a recognized natural medicine but has extremely low bioavailability. V-Cur, a novel hemocompatible Vanadium(IV)-curcumin complex with higher solubility and bioactivity than curcumin, is studied here. Co-cultures consisting of rat primary neurons and microglia were treated with LPS and/or curcumin or V-Cur. V-Cur disrupted LPS-induced overexpression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the in vitro aggregation of human insulin (HI), more effectively than curcumin. Cell stimulation with LPS also increased full-length, inactive, and total iNOS levels, and the inflammation markers IL-1β and TNF-α. Both curcumin and V-Cur alleviated these effects, with V-Cur reducing iNOS levels more than curcumin. Complementary insights into possible bioactivity mechanisms of both curcumin and V-Cur were provided by In silico molecular docking calculations on Aβ1-42, APP, Aβ fibrils, HI, and iNOS. This study renders curcumin-based compounds a promising anti-inflammatory intervention that may be proven a strong tool in the effort to mitigate neurodegenerative disease pathology and neuroinflammatory conditions.

Novel thiazolinyl-picolinamide-based palladium(II) complex extenuates the virulence and biofilms of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) causing Candida

Candida infections are growing all over the world as a result of their resistance to anti-fungal drugs. This raises concerns about public health, particularly in cases of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Therefore, the need for effective treatment options for Candida infections has become crucial. The main goal of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of novel palladium metal complexes against fluconazole-resistant Candida spp., particularly C. albicans and C. auris. The process begins with identifying the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), followed by growth curve assays, colony morphology analysis, characterization, and gene expression analysis. The investigation revealed that sub-MIC of Pd(II) complex B (250 μg/mL) inhibited Candida spp. more effectively than amphotericin B (500 μg/mL). Further, Pd(II) complex B drastically reduced the growth of Candida spp. biofilms by 70-80% for nascent biofilms and 70-75% for mature biofilms. Additionally, the yeast-to-hyphal switch and SEM studies revealed that Pd(II) complex B effectively hinders the growth of drug-resistant Candida cells. The gene expression investigation also evidenced that Pd(II) complex B downregulated virulence genes in C. albicans (ERG, EFG, UME6, and HGC) and C. auris (ERG, CDR, and HGC). The findings showed that Pd(II) complex B effectively inhibited the growth of Candida biofilm formation and was reported as a potential anti-biofilm agent against Candida spp. that are resistant to drugs.

Enemies or Allies? Hormetic and Apparent Non-Dose-Dependent Effects of Natural Bioactive Antioxidants in the Treatment of Inflammation

This review aims to analyze the emerging number of studies on biological media that describe the unexpected effects of different natural bioactive antioxidants. Hormetic effects, with a biphasic response depending on the dose, or activities that are apparently non-dose-dependent, have been described for compounds such as resveratrol, curcumin, ferulic acid or linoleic acid, among others. The analysis of the reported studies confirms the incidence of these types of effects, which should be taken into account by researchers, discarding initial interpretations of imprecise methodologies or measurements. The incidence of these types of effects should enhance research into the different mechanisms of action, particularly those studied in the field of basic research, that will help us understand the causes of these unusual behaviors, depending on the dose, such as the inactivation of the signaling pathways of the immune defense system. Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities in biological media should be addressed in ways that go beyond a mere statistical approach. In this work, some of the research pathways that may explain the understanding of these activities are revised, paying special attention to the ability of the selected bioactive compounds (curcumin, resveratrol, ferulic acid and linoleic acid) to form metal complexes and the activity of these complexes in biological media.

Vanadium-Flavonoid Complexes: A Promising Class of Molecules for Therapeutic Applications

Several reports have revealed the superior biological activity of metal ion-flavonoid complexes when compared with the parent flavonoid. Among the different metal ions explored, vanadium and its compounds are in the forefront because of their anticancer and antidiabetic properties. However, the toxicity of vanadium-based ions and their inorganic derivatives limits their therapeutic applications. Complexation of vanadium with flavonoids not only reduces its adverse effects but also augments its biological activity. This Review discusses the nature of coordination in vanadium-flavonoid complexes, their structure-activity correlations, with special emphasis on their therapeutic activities. Several investigations suggest that the superior biological activity of vanadium complexes arise because of their ability to regulate metabolic pathways distinct from those acted upon by vanadium alone. These studies serve to decipher the underlying molecular mechanism of vanadium-flavonoid complexes that can be explored further for generating a series of novel compounds with improved pharmacological and therapeutic performance.

Unraveling the binding mechanism of an Oxovanadium(IV) - Curcumin complex on albumin, DNA and DNA gyrase by in vitro and in silico studies and evaluation of its hemocompatibility

An oxovanadium(IV) - curcumin based complex, viz. [VO(cur)(2,2´-bipy)(H₂O)] where cur is curcumin and bipy is bipyridine, previously synthesized, has been studied for interaction with albumin and DNA. Fluorescence emission spectroscopy was used to evaluate the interaction of the complex with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the BSA-binding constant (K_b) was calculated to be 2.56 x 10⁵ M^-1, whereas a single great-affinity binding site was revealed. Moreover, the hemocompatibility test demonstrated that the complex presented low hemolytic fraction (mostly below 1%), in all concentrations tested (0-250 μΜ of complex, 5% DMSO) assuring a safe application in interaction with blood. The binding of the complex to DNA was also investigated using absorption, fluorescence, and viscometry methods indicating a binding through a minor groove mode. From competitive studies with ethidium bromide the apparent binding constant value to DNA was estimated to be 4.82 x 10⁶ M^-1. Stern-Volmer quenching phenomenon gave a Κ_SV constant [1.92 (± 0.05) x 10⁴ M^-1] and k_q constant [8.33 (± 0.2) x 10¹¹ M^-1s^-1]. Molecular docking simulations on the crystal structure of BSA, calf thymus DNA, and DNA gyrase, as well as pharmacophore analysis for BSA target, were also employed to study in silico the ability of [VO(cur)(2,2´-bipy)(H₂O)] to bind to these target bio-macromolecules and explain the observed in vitro activity.

Insights into metalloproteins and metallodrugs from electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

Metal ions play an important role in diverse biological processes, and much of the basic knowledge derived from studying native bioinorganic systems are applied in the synthesis of new molecules with the aim of diagnosing and treating diseases. At first glance, metalloproteins and metallodrugs are very different systems, but metal ion coordination, redox chemistry and substrate binding play essential roles in advancing both of these research fields. In this article, we discuss recent metalloprotein and metallodrug studies where electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy served as a major tool to gain a better understanding of metal-based structures and their function.

In vitro and in silico evaluation of the inhibitory effect of a curcumin-based oxovanadium (IV) complex on alkaline phosphatase activity and bacterial biofilm formation

The scientific interest in the development of novel metal-based compounds as inhibitors of bacterial biofilm-related infections and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) deregulating effects is continuous and rising. In the current study, a novel crystallographically defined heteroleptic V(IV)-curcumin-bipyridine (V-Cur) complex with proven bio-activity was studied as a potential inhibitor of ALP activity and bacterial biofilm. The inhibitory effect of V-Cur was evaluated on bovine ALP, with two different substrates: para-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The obtained results suggested that V-Cur inhibited the ALP activity in a dose-dependent manner (IC₅₀ = 26.91 ± 1.61 μM for ATP, IC₅₀ = 2.42 ± 0.12 μM for pNPP) exhibiting a mixed/competitive type of inhibition with both substrates tested. The evaluation of the potential V-Cur inhibitory effect on bacterial biofilm formation was performed on Gram (+) bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram (-) Escherichia coli (E. coli) cultures, and it positively correlated with inhibition of bacterial ALP activity. In silico study proved the binding of V-Cur at eukaryotic and bacterial ALP, and its interaction with crucial amino acids of the active sites, verifying complex's inhibitory potential. The findings suggested a specific anti-biofilm activity of V-Cur, offering a further dimension in the importance of metal complexes, with naturally derived products as biological ligands, as therapeutic agents against bacterial infections and ALP-associated diseases. KEY POINTS: • V-Cur inhibits bovine and bacterial alkaline phosphatases and bacterial biofilm formation. • Alkaline phosphatase activity correlates with biofilm formation. • In silico studies prove binding of the complex on alkaline phosphatase.

Synthesis, physicochemical characterization and biological properties of two novel Cu(II) complexes based on natural products curcumin and quercetin

Curcumin and quercetin are two of the most prominent natural polyphenols with a diverse spectrum of beneficial properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity. The complexation of these natural products with bioactive transition metal ions can lead to the generation of novel metallodrugs with enhanced biochemical and pharmacological activities. Within this framework, the synthesis and detailed structural and physicochemical characterization of two novel complex assemblies of Cu(II) with curcumin and quercetin and the ancillary aromatic chelator 2,2'-bipyridine is presented. The two complexes represent the only crystallographically characterized structures with Cu(II) as the central metal ion and curcumin or quercetin as the ligands. The new complexes were biologically evaluated in vitro for their antioxidant potential, both exhibiting strong scavenging activity in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay, and their plasmid DNA binding/cleavage properties. Both complexes appear to be non-toxic in the eukaryotic experimental model Saccharomyces cerevisiae and merit further investigation of their pharmacological profile.

Magnetic cationic liposomal nanocarriers for the efficient drug delivery of a curcumin-based vanadium complex with anticancer potential

In this work novel magnetic cationic liposomal nanoformulations were synthesized for the encapsulation of a crystallographically defined ternary V(IV)-curcumin-bipyridine (VCur) complex with proven bioactivity, as potential anticancer agents. The liposomal vesicles were produced via the thin film hydration method employing N-[1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammonium (DOTAP) and egg phosphatidylcholine lipids and were magnetized through the addition of citric acid surface-modified monodispersed magnetite colloidal magnetic nanoparticles. The obtained nanoformulations were evaluated for their structural and textural properties and shown to have exceptional stability and enhanced solubility in physiological media, demonstrated by the entrapment efficiency and loading capacity results and the in vitro release studies of their cargo. Furthermore, the generated liposomal formulations preserved the superparamagnetic behavior of the employed magnetic core maintaining the physicochemical and morphological requirements for targeted drug delivery applications. The novel nanomaterials were further biologically evaluated for their DNA interaction potential and were found to act as intercalators. The findings suggest that the positively charged magnetic liposomal nanoformulations can generate increased concentration of their cargo at the DNA site, offering a further dimension in the importance of cationic liposomes as nanocarriers of hydrophobic anticancer metal ion complexes for the development of new multifunctional pharmaceutical nanomaterials with enhanced bioavailability and targeted antitumor activity.

Zn(II) Curcuminate Complexes with 2,2'-bipyridine and Carboxylates

Two novel zinc(II) compounds with curcuminate (abbreviated as cur-), [Zn(CH3COO)(cur)(bpy)](1)·CH3OH·2H2O (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) and [Zn(PhCOO)(cur)(bpy)] (2)·CH3OH, have been synthesized and characterized. Their composition has been determined by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. Complexes 1 and 2 are similar: in both a five-fold coordination environment of zinc(II) consists of a monodentate carboxylate, a chelating bidentate 2,2'-bipyridine, and curcuminate, which is bound via a deprotonated 1,3-dione moiety. In 1, 2,2'-bipyridine nitrogen atoms and curcuminate oxygen atoms form the base of a square pyramid, whereas the acetate oxygen occupies its apex. The O3N2 donor set in 2 defines a polyhedron which more closely resembles a trigonal bipyramid. The packing in the crystal lattices of both compounds is governed by hydrogen-bonds. Complexes 1 and 2 display higher stability than curcumin in buffered media at pH = 7.0, however, the degradation of coordinated cur- is comparable to that of yellow pigment curcumin (curH) when the pH is raised to 7.2. Both complexes 1 and 2 in DMSO exhibit fluorescence with Stokes shifts of 5367 and 4634 cm-1, respectively.