Anticancer copper pyridine benzimidazole complexes: ROS generation, biomolecule interactions, and cytotoxicity

The Cu(II) complex CuCl2(pbzH), pbzH=2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole, and derivatives modified at the non-coordinated nitrogen of the benzimidazole fragment, have been studied as anticancer agents. These compounds show promising cytotoxicity against A549 adenocarcinomic alveolar basal epithelial cells with IC50 values in the range of 5-10μM. Importantly, this activity is higher than either CuCl2·2H2O or the individual ligands, demonstrating that...