The Role of Metal Coordination in the Antineoplastic Effects of Schiff‐Base‐Derived Compounds

Abstract

The present article contains examples of the multiple roles of metal coordination in the antineoplastic effects and in the mechanisms of action of Schiff‐base‐derived compounds. The influence of iron coordination and the involvement of the iron‐containing enzyme ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase (RDR) in the modes of action of thiosemicarbazones and hydrazones are discussed. The antineoplastic activities of some copper(II), gallium(III), gold(I,III), and other transition and main group metal complexes with Schiff‐base‐derived ligands are described, together with investigations on their mechanisms of action and on their interaction with cellular targets.