Copper complexes with bioactive ligands. Part II--Antifungal activity

Area of Science:

• Inorganic Chemistry
• Mycology
• Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

• Copper(II) complexes are explored for their biological activities.
• Nicotinic acid derivatives and related amides are known for their bioactivity.
• Developing new antifungal agents is crucial due to increasing resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize new copper(II) complexes.
• To evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of these complexes against various filamentous fungi.
• To investigate the structure-activity relationship of these complexes.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of copper(II) complexes.
• Macrodilution method for determining antifungal activity.
• Microscopy to observe morphological changes in fungi.

Main Results:

• Copper(II) complexes with 2-methylthionicotinate and bioactive ligands (nicotinamide, N-methylnicotinamide, ethyl nicotinate) exhibited potent antifungal activity.
• Rhizopus oryzae and Microsporum gypseum were most sensitive (IC50 1.5-2.3 mmol/L).
• Morphological changes, including hyphal branching and inhibition of sporulation, were observed in Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria alternata.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized copper(II) complexes demonstrate significant antifungal potential.
• The presence of bioactive ligands enhances the antifungal efficacy of copper(II) complexes.
• These compounds represent promising candidates for the development of new antifungal therapies.