Anti-HIV and Cytotoxic Activities of Ru(II)/Ru(III) Polypyridyl Complexes Containing 2,6-(2′-Benzimidazolyl)-pyridine/chalcone as Co-Ligand Original Research Article

Ru(II)/Ru(III) polypyridyl complexes containing 2,6-(2′-benzimidazolyl)-pyridine or chalcone as co-ligands were synthesized and characterized previously (Mishra, L.; Sinha, R. Indian J. Chem., Sec. A 2001, in press. Mishra, L.; Sinha, R. Indian J. Chem., Sec. A, 39A, 2000, 1131). Their interaction with aqueous buffered calf thymus DNA was measured. (Novakova, O.; Kasparkova, J.; Vrana, O.; van Vliet, P. M., Reedijk, J.; Brabec, V., Biochem. 34, 1995, 12369 and these results prompted additional screening for anti-HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) activity against DNA replication in H9 lymphocytes and cytotoxic activity against eight tumor cell lines. The most active compounds were 17 in the former assay (EC50 <0.1 μg/mL and TI >23.1) and 3, 8, 10, and 14 in the latter assay, especially selectively against the 1A9 ovarian cancer cell line (IC50=4.1, 3.8, 3.6, and 2.5 μg/mL, respectively).