DNA binding, DNA cleavage, antioxidant and cytotoxicity studies on ruthenium(II) complexes of benzaldehyde 4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazones

Four new ruthenium(II) complexes with N(4)-methyl thiosemicarbazone ligands, (E)-2-(2-chlorobenzylidene)-N-methylhydrazinecarbothioamide (HL1) and (E)-N-methyl-2-(2-nitrobenzylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide (HL2), were prepared and fully characterized by various spectro-analytical techniques. The Schiff bases act as bidentate, monobasic chelating ligands with S and N as the donor sites and are preferably found in the thiol form in all the complexes studied. The molecular structure of HL1 and HL2 were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction method. DNA binding of the compounds was investigated by absorption spectroscopy which indicated that the complexes bind to DNA via intercalation. The oxidative cleavage of the complexes with CT-DNA inferred that the effects of cleavage are dose dependent. Antioxidant studies of the ligands and complexes showed the significant antioxidant activity against DPPH radical. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity of the ligands and complexes against MCF-7 cell line was assayed which showed higher cytotoxic activity with the lower IC50 values indicating their efficiency in killing the cancer cells even at low concentrations. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.