Coordination compounds of cobalt() with carboxylate non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: structure and biological profile

Fourteen cobalt( ii ) complexes with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs sodium meclofenamate, tolfenamic acid, mefenamic acid, naproxen, sodium diclofenac, and diflunisal were prepared in the presence or absence of a series of nitrogen-donors (namely imidazole, pyridine, 3-aminopyridine, neocuproine, 2,2′-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2′-bipyridylamine) as co-ligands and were characterised by spectroscopic and physicochemical techniques. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography was employed to determine the crystal structure of eight complexes. The biological profile of the complexes was investigated regarding their interaction with serum albumins and DNA, and their antioxidant potency. The interaction of the compounds with calf-thymus DNA takes place via intercalation. The ability of the complexes to cleave pBR322 plasmid DNA at the concentration of 500 μM is rather low. The complexes demonstrated tight and reversible binding to human and bovine serum albumins and the binding site of bovine serum albumin was also examined. In order to assess the antioxidant activity of the compounds, the in vitro scavenging activity towards free radicals, namely 1,1-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and their ability to reduce H 2 O 2 were studied. Fourteen Co( ii ) complexes with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and nitrogen-donors were characterised. The compounds exhibit antioxidant activity, intercalate to calf-thymus DNA, cleave slightly plasmid DNA, and bind reversibly to albumins.