Organic vanadium (III) complexes and their use

Organic complexes of vanadium are provided, having the general structure VL3, where V is vanadium(III) and L is a monoprotic bidentate ligand that forms a five-membered, unsaturated vanadium containing ring, having vanadium coordinating oxygen or sulfur ring heteroatoms, and where the vanadium containing ring is fused to a six-membered heterocyclic ring. Preferably L is a hydroxypyrone or a hydroxypyridinone. The complexes have a number of uses, including the treatment of elevated blood glucose and related disorders, treatment of proliferative disorders, etc.