Complexes of copper(II) and nickel(II) containing the drug mesalamine (5-ASA) have been synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, mass and UV-vis spectra, elemental analysis and theoretical methods. The binding interactions between mesalamine and its Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) were investigated using absorption, fluorescence emission and circular dichroism spectroscopies, and viscosity measurements. Absorption spectra of 5-ASA, Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes showed hypochromism. The calculated binding constants (K b ) obtained from UV-vis absorption studies were 1.27×10 3 , 1.6×10 3 and 1.2×10 4 M -1 for 5-ASA, Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes, respectively. The compounds induced detectable changes in the CD spectra of ct-DNA (B→A structural transition, B→C structural transition and stabilization of the right-handed B form, for mesalamine, Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes, respectively). The competitive binding experiments with Hoechst 33258 indicated that 5-ASA and copper complex could interact as groove binders. Furthermore, Ni complex had no effect on the fluorescence intensity and peak position of MB-DNA system. Finally, the results obtained from experimental and molecular modeling showed that complexes bind to DNA via minor groove binding.