Synthesis, characterization, and cancer cell-selective cytotoxicity of mixed-ligand cobalt(<scp>iii</scp>) complexes of 8-hydroxyquinolines and phenanthroline bases
Banashree Deka, Tukki Sarkar, Arnab Bhattacharyya, Ray J. Butcher, Samya Banerjee, Sasanka Deka, Kandarpa K. Saikia, Akhtar Hussain
Abstract
> 100 μM). The observed cytotoxicity of the complexes correlated well with their lipophilicities (dppz > dpq > phen). The cytotoxicity of complex 6 was comparable to that of the clinical drug cisplatin under similar conditions. Notably, neither the HQ nor the CQ ligands alone demonstrated noticeable toxicity against any of the tested cell lines. The Annexin-V-FITC and DCFDA assays revealed that the cell death mechanism induced by the complexes involved apoptosis, which could be attributed to the metal-assisted generation of reactive oxygen species. Overall, the dppz complex 6, with its remarkable cytotoxicity against a broad range of cancer cells and negligible toxicity toward normal cells, holds significant potential for cancer chemotherapeutic applications.