Anti-bacterial Properties of Transition Metal Complexes of Copper Metal Ion: A Mini Review

Abstract

Bacterial infections are a major cause for impulsive deaths in human beings.Bacterial infections of the respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervoussystem account for the majority of cases of sudden casualties. Readily availabledrugs are getting ineffective by each passing day as the mutation is veryfast in these pathogenic microbes resulting in drug resistance. The growingresistance of bacteria necessitates the development of new and effectivecompounds of desired characteristics that could bar the rapid development ofbacterial cell inside of the host body. Along with cellular resistance for clinicalantibiotics, co-bacterial infections during microbial attacks (viz. virus, fungus,protozoans etc.) also demand for some novel antibacterial drugs having highefficacy and minimal side effects on human body. These antibiotics shouldalso be compatible with remedies ongoing for core microbial infections. So,in demand of search for effective antibacterial moieties, the scope of transitionmetal complexes as drug gives a good signal against the pathogenic bacteriaby inhibiting their growth. The action of metal complexes on bacterial cellmay be due to impremiablity, enzymatic interruptions, ribosomal interactions,disturbance in the path of protein synthesis, denaturing of genetic materialsetc. inside the cell. Metals in complexes may interrupt the lipophilisity throughthe bacterial cell wall. Inclusion of metal ions in organic moieties behavingas ligand delocalize π-electrons upon the entire chelate ring and this chelationresults in overlapping of ligand orbital and partial sharing of (+)ve chargeof metal ion with donor atoms. These structural modifications in metal andorganic lone pair donor species are the supposed reasons for their enhancedantimicrobial activities against pathogenic microbes. The present reviewfocuses on the impact of recently synthesized, well characterized mono andbinuclear transition metal complexes of Cu ions that have the potential to be the drug of the decade in medicinal inorganic chemistry for treating the bacterial diseases.