Recent developments of metal-based compounds against fungal pathogens

Area of Science:

• Medicinal Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Mycology

Background:

• The rise of antimicrobial resistance necessitates novel therapeutic strategies.
• Fungal infections pose a significant threat, particularly to immunocompromised individuals, with high mortality rates.
• Existing antifungal medications face challenges in efficacy and resistance development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the expanding field of metal-based antifungal agents.
• To highlight the potential of organometallic compounds in combating fungal infections.
• To explore the synergy between organic antifungal moieties and metal ions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of metal-based compounds with antifungal properties.
• Analysis of structure-activity relationships for organometallic antifungal agents.
• Discussion of various organic ligands (e.g., azoles, Schiff bases, thiosemicarbazones) and their metal complexes.

Main Results:

• Metal ions can significantly enhance the bioavailability, uptake, and efficacy of organic antifungal agents.
• Coordination with metal ions can vastly improve the biocidal activity of parent ligands.
• A diverse range of metal-based compounds demonstrate promising antifungal activity.

Conclusions:

• Metal-based compounds represent a largely unexploited resource for developing new antifungal drugs.
• Organometallic antifungal agents offer a promising avenue to alleviate pressure on existing antifungal medications.
• Further research into metal-based antifungal agents is warranted to address the growing incidence of fungal infections.