Facile design and spectroscopic characterization of novel bio-inspired Quercetin-conjugated tetrakis (dimethylsulfoxide)dichlororuthenium(II) complex for enhanced anticancer properties

We designed novel Quercetin-conjugated Tetrakis (dimethylsulfoxide)dichlororuthenium(II) complex and characterized thoroughly via spectroscopic and optical techniques, which exhibited enhanced anti-cancer effects with induced ROS generation. The cellular and nuclear damage studies in A549 cells were studied by employing Atomic force microscopy (Bio-AFM) and Hoechst staining assay. [Display omitted] •Novel Quercetin-Ru(II) complexes were designed using facile reflux reaction.•The Mechanism for the formation of Quercetin-Ru(II) complex was described.•Cellular damage studies were evaluated using atomic force microscopy.•Intracellular reactive oxygen species & nuclear damage studies were investigated.•Cytotoxicity studies were studied in WI-38, HDFa and A549 cells, respectively. A facile reflux approach was employed in the design of novel complexes using ruthenium(II) and quercetin for enhanced anticancer applications. The designed metal-based flavonoid complex was thoroughly characterized by employing powder XRD, 1H, 13C NMR, elemental analysis (C, H, N, S, O), FT-IR, XPS, and UV–Vis spectroscopy techniques. The cell toxicity and cell proliferation properties of the Quercetin-Ru(II) complex were investigated on the non-small cell lung cancer cell lines (A549) along with the lung normal cells (WI-38) and human dermal fibroblast (HDFa) cells. Significant cytotoxicity was observed with the newly designed complex on A549 cells at minimum concentrations of (10–30 µM). Interestingly, no remarkable cytotoxicity was observed in the WI-38 and HDFa cells. The same was confirmed by assessing cellular damage and nuclear damage via Atomic force microscopy (Bio-AFM) and Hoechst staining assay. Moreover, the results of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation are also interesting to confirm the abilities of designed novel Quercetin-Ru(II) complex for anticancer applications.