Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Activity of Two New Copper (II) Complexes with N-sulfonamide Ligand

Abstract

Despite the fact that a large number of chemotherapeutic anticancer agents have been discovered, cancer still remains a great cause of deaths worldwide. The purpose of our researches is to discover a new antitumor drug. In this aim, two new Cu(II) complexes, (C1) and (C2) with a new ligand, N-(5-trifluoromethyl-<1,3,4>-thiadiazole-2-yl)-benzensulfonamide(HL) were synthesized. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, spectral and magnetic determinations. The nuclease activity studies of the complexes confirm their capacity to cleavage the DNA molecule. Both complexes have in vitro antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP methods), in vitro (using xanthine /xanthine oxidase system) and in vivo (using S.cerevisiae)SOD mimetic activity.The results of MTT assay on two carcinoma cell lines (HeLa and WM35) indicate that both complexes have antitumor activity, but (C2) has a superior activity compared with (C1) and with Cisplatin. On normal fibroblast (HDFa), (C1) showed toxicity comparable with Cisplatin, but (C2) showed a lower one. Bacterial assays were also performed (by the disk diffusion method) and both complexes have antibacterial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeroginosa and B. cereus. All the biological studies are in concordance and show that both complexes have biologic activity but (C2)is much more active. Keywords: oxidative DNA cleavage, antioxidant capacity, SOD-mimetic activity, cytotoxicity, antibacterial properties