Synthesis, DNA-binding, Photocleavage and in vitro Cytotoxicity of Novel Imidazole[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline-based Oxovanadium Complexes

In recent years, more and more biochemists and pharmacologists have paid their attention to research on other transition metal complexes such as ruthenium (II), copper (II), zinc (II), nickel (II), cobalt (II) complexes compared with traditional platinum compounds in treatment of human cancer due to their potential applications as chemical and stereoselective probes of nucleic acid structures as well as diverse biological activities [1-5]. As a trace bioelement existing in the human body, vanadium has been found to present a variety of physiological activities such as nutritional metabolism [6], insulin mimetic effect [7], as well as closely connected with cell apoptosis and cancer [8]. In the past decades, oxovanadium compounds have been extensively studied for their potential biological and pharmacological activities such as antibacterial [9], biocatalytic oxidation [10], insulinenhancing effects [11], apoptosis-inducing activity [12], potential capabilities as DNA structural probes and DNA dependent electron transfer likewise [13].